Latest news with #Koreas
eNCA
18 hours ago
- Politics
- eNCA
South Korea presidential candidates rally ahead of June 3 vote
South Korea's leading candidates held major campaign events 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 percent of respondents viewed him as the best candidate. Kim Moon-soo, from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) -- Yoon's former party -- trailed Lee on 35 percent. 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. Lee has been campaigning with additional security measures, including bulletproof shields set up on the podium. He was stabbed in the neck in January 2024 in Busan by a man pretending to be a supporter, who later confessed that his intention was to kill Lee to prevent him from becoming president. At his rally in the conservative stronghold of Daegu, Lee said he would seek to improve ties with nuclear-armed North Korea through dialogue -- hinting at a departure from the hawkish stance taken by impeached former president Yoon. "Isn't real national strength about achieving peace through communication and finding a path to mutual prosperity, rather than pursuing confrontation?" he said. "Competent national security means building peace in which there is no need to fight." Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, partly due to Yoon's hardline policies towards the North, which has bolstered ties with Moscow, including sending weapons and soldiers to help it fight Kyiv. - 'Bulletproof measures' - The conservative People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo kicked off a rally on Sunday in Suwon by commenting on rival Lee's security measures. "Look, I'm not wearing a bulletproof vest, right? But Lee is now even using bulletproof shields, feeling the vest isn't enough," he said. "With such bulletproof measures, Lee is poised to impose his own dictatorship and we must stop it," Kim added. While most polls conducted before the blackout placed Kim a distant second, he expressed confidence in winning. "I believe a major turnaround is currently taking place," he said. South Korea has entered a so-called "dark campaign period" during which the results of public opinion polls are barred from being disclosed, although pollsters are still conducting surveys. Nearly 35 percent of voters have already cast their ballots -- taking advantage of two days of early voting earlier last week, according to the National Election Commission. The winner of the June 3 election will take office the following day on a single five-year term, with no transition period. Front-runner Lee's likely victory could prove a "a watershed moment in South Korean politics, ending six months of turbulence for democracy since former president Yoon's errant declaration of martial law", said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. Lee "has proved to be a political survivor, after legal scandals, questionable opposition tactics, and even threats to his life," he added. By Kang Jin-kyu
The Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Sun
South Korea presidential candidates rally ahead of June 3 vote
SEOUL: South Korea's leading candidates held major campaign events 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 percent of respondents viewed him as the best candidate. Kim Moon-soo, from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) -- Yoon's former party -- trailed Lee on 35 percent. The 60-year-old Lee began his rally in his hometown of Andong, 240 kilometres (150 miles) 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. Lee has been campaigning with additional security measures, including bulletproof shields set up on the podium. He was stabbed in the neck in January 2024 in Busan by a man pretending to be a supporter, who later confessed that his intention was to kill Lee to prevent him from becoming president. At his rally in the conservative stronghold of Daegu, Lee said he would seek to improve ties with nuclear-armed North Korea through dialogue -- hinting at a departure from the hawkish stance taken by impeached former president Yoon. 'Isn't real national strength about achieving peace through communication and finding a path to mutual prosperity, rather than pursuing confrontation?' he said. 'Competent national security means building peace in which there is no need to fight.' Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, partly due to Yoon's hardline policies towards the North, which has bolstered ties with Moscow, including sending weapons and soldiers to help it fight Kyiv. 'Bulletproof measures' The conservative People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo kicked off a rally on Sunday in Suwon by commenting on rival Lee's security measures. 'Look, I'm not wearing a bulletproof vest, right? But Lee is now even using bulletproof shields, feeling the vest isn't enough,' he said. 'With such bulletproof measures, Lee is poised to impose his own dictatorship and we must stop it,' Kim added. While most polls conducted before the blackout placed Kim a distant second, he expressed confidence in winning. 'I believe a major turnaround is currently taking place,' he said. South Korea has entered a so-called 'dark campaign period' during which the results of public opinion polls are barred from being disclosed, although pollsters are still conducting surveys. Nearly 35 percent of voters have already cast their ballots -- taking advantage of two days of early voting earlier last week, according to the National Election Commission. The winner of the June 3 election will take office the following day on a single five-year term, with no transition period. Front-runner Lee's likely victory could prove a 'a watershed moment in South Korean politics, ending six months of turbulence for democracy since former president Yoon's errant declaration of martial law', said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. Lee 'has proved to be a political survivor, after legal scandals, questionable opposition tactics, and even threats to his life,' he added.
France 24
a day ago
- Politics
- France 24
South Korea presidential candidates rally ahead of June 3 vote
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 percent of respondents viewed him as the best candidate. Kim Moon-soo, from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) -- Yoon's former party -- trailed Lee on 35 percent. The 60-year-old Lee began his rally in his hometown of Andong, 240 kilometres (150 miles) 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. Lee has been campaigning with additional security measures, including bulletproof shields set up on the podium. He was stabbed in the neck in January 2024 in Busan by a man pretending to be a supporter, who later confessed that his intention was to kill Lee to prevent him from becoming president. At his rally in the conservative stronghold of Daegu, Lee said he would seek to improve ties with nuclear-armed North Korea through dialogue -- hinting at a departure from the hawkish stance taken by impeached former president Yoon. "Isn't real national strength about achieving peace through communication and finding a path to mutual prosperity, rather than pursuing confrontation?" he said. "Competent national security means building peace in which there is no need to fight." Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, partly due to Yoon's hardline policies towards the North, which has bolstered ties with Moscow, including sending weapons and soldiers to help it fight Kyiv. 'Bulletproof measures' The conservative People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo kicked off a rally on Sunday in Suwon by commenting on rival Lee's security measures. "Look, I'm not wearing a bulletproof vest, right? But Lee is now even using bulletproof shields, feeling the vest isn't enough," he said. "With such bulletproof measures, Lee is poised to impose his own dictatorship and we must stop it," Kim added. While most polls conducted before the blackout placed Kim a distant second, he expressed confidence in winning. "I believe a major turnaround is currently taking place," he said. South Korea has entered a so-called "dark campaign period" during which the results of public opinion polls are barred from being disclosed, although pollsters are still conducting surveys. Nearly 35 percent of voters have already cast their ballots -- taking advantage of two days of early voting earlier last week, according to the National Election Commission. The winner of the June 3 election will take office the following day on a single five-year term, with no transition period. Front-runner Lee's likely victory could prove a "a watershed moment in South Korean politics, ending six months of turbulence for democracy since former president Yoon's errant declaration of martial law", said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. Lee "has proved to be a political survivor, after legal scandals, questionable opposition tactics, and even threats to his life," he added.
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
What will Seoul's new leader mean for North Korea ties?
Under the hawkish Yoon Suk Yeol -- whose ouster over his disastrous declaration of martial law triggered the snap presidential poll -- Seoul took a hard line towards North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 30 May 2025 12:22pm Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate for South Korea's new Reform Party (RP), speaks during an election campaign event in Seoul on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Pedro Pardo / AFP) SEOUL - On the campaign trail in South Korea ahead of the June 3 vote, leading candidates in the presidential race have barely mentioned the nuclear-armed North -- but a new leader in Seoul could shake-up years of Pyongyang policy. Under the hawkish Yoon Suk Yeol -- whose ouster over his disastrous declaration of martial law triggered the snap presidential poll -- Seoul took a hard line towards North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Supporters of South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party gather during an election campaign event for the forthcoming June 3 presidential election in Seoul on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP) AFP takes a look at what could happen next: What's the situation? Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, thanks in part to Yoon's short-lived presidency, who said on the campaign trail he'd teach "rude" Kim Jong Un a lesson. Yoon's former People Power Party has always traditionally taken a harder line on the North than the country's left-wing Democratic Party, and during his time in office, Yoon threatened preemptive strikes and bolstered joint drills with ally the US. The North has also toughened its stance: blowing up inter-Korean roads and railways, declaring the South an "enemy state" and scrapping military deals aimed at avoiding accidental escalations. If front-runner, the DP's Lee Jae-myung, wins the election on Tuesday, things could change: he has already vowed to restart efforts to engage Kim. Lee's North Korea policy will represent a "complete turnaround" from Yoon's, Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, told AFP. His approach follows that of his party, which traditionally champions dialogue with Pyongyang, he said. There could be "potential for improvement in ties with Pyongyang" if Lee wins, he added. Will ties improve? The last polls before the pre-election blackout period showed Lee in the lead. But it is still possible that the PPP's candidate Kim Moon-soo could sneak into the lead -- especially if another right-wing candidate, currently in third place, were to endorse him. In the case, it is likely Kim would maintain Yoon's hardline policy toward Pyongyang. He has called for more US nuclear assets to be deployed to the peninsula. Kim's policy platform is notably light on details on what he plans to do regarding Pyongyang -- but it's basically just "an extension of Yoon's policy in substance," professor Lim said. "In a way, Kim's rhetoric suggests he may take an even more hawkish stance on the North than Yoon, raising the risk of heightened military tensions." What about Trump? Trump has talked up his "great relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and hinted that he might seek to rekindle his relationship with the third-generation ruler in Pyongyang. A person steps out of a booth at a polling station during early voting for the presidential election in Seoul on May 29, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP) During Trump's first term, the two met multiple times for talks on possible denuclearisation, which ultimately collapsed without a deal. "Trump could shift his focus to North Korea once the situation in Ukraine is resolved through a truce with Russia," said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification. "It is possible that he will be eager to engage with the North in pursuit of diplomatic achievements," he said. But after the collapse of talks, which Kim found "humiliating, he may not be as receptive to a potential summit proposal from Trump as he once was." And Ukraine? After Russia invaded Ukraine, Pyongyang began supplying Moscow with weapons and soldiers to help it fight Kyiv. Ex-president Yoon slammed the growing ties between the North and Russia -- and even hinting that Seoul, a major arms exporter, could consider providing weapons direct to Ukraine, currently barred by longstanding domestic policy. At the time, Lee criticised Yoon for this, warning that such a move would be "a death sentence" for South Korean companies in Russia. He has also blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the war, saying he had "provoked Russia with a promise to join NATO." He later apologised for the remark. He now says he will pursue "pragmatic diplomacy" in terms of Seoul's ties with Russia. His foreign policy advisor said this could include "efforts to seek dialogue and improve ties with Russia," Choi Gi-il told AFP. Kim Moon-soo has not commented on the conflict. What will North Korea do? Pyongyang has not commented on the South's election and is not expected to do so on its outcome, said Lim of Kyungnam University. "But if Lee wins, the North will closely monitor how he implements his North Korea policy -- particularly any changes to joint military drills with the US," he said. If Kim Moon-soo wins, having pledged to maintain a hardline stance and increase the deployment of US nuclear assets around the peninsula, Pyongyang could attempt to undermine his administration, Lim added. "North Korea could resort to a highly aggressive military provocation, escalating tensions to a new level." - AFP More Like This
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Backed by Jim Rogers, Lee Jae-myung stresses peace on Korean Peninsula for economic rebound
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Friday highlighted the need for South Korea to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula to bring about an economic recovery. In a Facebook post, Lee welcomed the endorsement of US investment guru Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, calling attention to Rogers' belief in the country's economic potential on the foundation of rapprochement between the two Koreas. 'If we have fair rules, transparent governance, a stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, and solid industrial and economic policies, our stock market has far more room to grow,' Lee wrote. He echoed Rogers' view that 'peace is not just a political issue but an economic strategy,' and that Korea could become the trade, finance and innovation hub of Northeast Asia. Rogers has long underscored the economic potential of the Korean Peninsula, particularly in the context of inter-Korean cooperation and regional stability. His support was publicly delivered on Thursday through a statement read at the National Assembly by representatives of businesses at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a joint industrial complex once operated by the two Koreas that was shut down in 2016. In the statement, Rogers touted Lee as the candidate who is capable of "ending the era of confrontation and opening a new chapter of peace, growth, and global leadership." Rogers, who took part in a virtual dialogue on economics with Lee in January 2022, also argued that a peaceful Korea would not only boost investor confidence but also unlock millions of new jobs and potentially send the Kospi to historic highs. 'Let us invest in peace. Let us invest in the future. Let us invest in Korea. The choice is Lee Jae-myung,' he said.
