Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo were set to ramp up their campaigns to woo swing voters Friday, the second and final day of early voting, with the election just four days away.
Turnout on Thursday was recorded at 19.58 percent, the highest ever for the first day of early voting since the system was introduced, according to the National Election Commission. As of 10 a.m. on Friday, total turnout stood at 23.33 percent.
About 44.3 million people are eligible to vote in the June 3 election that will cap months of political chaos triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law.
The candidates have been encouraging people to go to the polls during the two-day early voting period, each claiming that high turnout benefits them in a three-way race that includes Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party.
On Friday, the Democratic Party's Lee planned to visit Chuncheon and Wonju in Gangwon Province, before heading to Chungju in North Chungcheong Province for campaign rallies. This marks his first visit to Gangwon during the official campaign period.
Both Gangwon and North Chungcheong provinces were regions where Lee lost to then-candidate Yoon Suk Yeol in the 2022 presidential election.
The People Power Party's Kim was set to launch a 90-hour nonstop overnight campaign tour across the country in a final push to appeal to voters ahead of Election Day.
Later in the day, Kim will hold campaign rallies in Gapyeong, Icheon and Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province.
Kim will then travel to Chungju and Jecheon in North Chungcheong, and Wonju and Chuncheon in Gangwon.
The latest poll on the presidential election, published Wednesday, showed the Democratic Party's Lee in the lead with 49.2 percent support, followed by Kim of the People Power Party with 36.8 percent. Lee Jun-seok came in third with 10.3 percent. (Yonhap)
