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S Korea candidates hold campaigns ahead of vote

S Korea candidates hold campaigns ahead of vote

Observer5 days ago

SEOUL: South Korea's leading candidates held major campaign events on Sunday, two days out from a snap election triggered by the former president's removal after his disastrous declaration of martial law. The June 3 election is set to cap months of political turmoil sparked by Yoon Suk Yeol's brief suspension of civilian rule in December, for which he was impeached and removed from office.
All major polls have put liberal Lee Jae-myung well ahead in the presidential race, with the latest Gallup survey showing 49 per cent of respondents viewed him as the best candidate. Kim Moon-Soo, from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) trailed Lee on 35 per cent. The 60-year-old Lee began his rally in his hometown of Andong, 240 kilometres southeast of Seoul, telling his supporters he would seek to weaken the concentration of development in the capital region and boost areas away from Seoul. "We should not simply seek a regional equal development strategy but rather provide more incentives for non-Seoul regions to support them more," said Lee, wearing a bulletproof vest. — AFP

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South Korea's new leader vows to 'heal wounds' with North
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South Korea's new leader vows to 'heal wounds' with North

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South Korea's Lee Jae-myung sworn in as new president
South Korea's Lee Jae-myung sworn in as new president

Times of Oman

time2 days ago

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South Korea's Lee Jae-myung sworn in as new president

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Liberal Lee projected to win presidency
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Observer

time3 days ago

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Liberal Lee projected to win presidency

SEOUL: South Korea's liberal party candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win snap presidential election by wide margins, according to exit polls, ushering in a political sea change after backlash against martial law brought down his predecessor. Results of the surveys by the country's broadcasters, which Reuters has not independently confirmed, were released after nearly 80 per cent of the country's 44.39 million eligible voters had cast their ballots. South Koreans are hoping to put six months of turmoil from ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree behind them and for a reversal in the ebbing fortunes of Asia's fourth-largest economy. The joint exit poll by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, which has in previous elections mostly been in line with the final results, put Lee on 51.7 per cent and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo on 39.3 per cent. Lee had called the election "judgment day" against the previous Yoon administration and the conservative People Power Party, accusing them of having condoned the martial law attempt by not fighting harder to thwart it and even trying to save Yoon's presidency. — Reuters

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