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Election campaign heats up as rivals woo critical Seoul area voters

Published: 31 Mar. 2024, 16:21 Updated: 31 Mar. 2024, 16:36

SARAH KIM
[email protected]

Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung, left, and former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong of the People Power Party, both running for Incheon’s Gyeyang-B District in the upcoming April 10 general election, attend an Easter service at a church in Gyeyang District, Incheon, Sunday morning. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Rival parties were in fierce campaigning mode over the weekend, focusing on winning over the crucial Seoul metropolitan area with just 10 days left until the general election.

Han Dong Hoon, interim chief of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), led a campaign rally around southern Gyeonggi's Bundang, Yongin and Seongnam on Sunday, focusing on pledges regarding people's livelihood. He admitted that his party — and the government — lacked in certain aspects but promised "change."

The former justice minister later campaigned in southern Seoul to support PPP candidates running in the capital, a major battleground where parties have been focused on wooing voters since the official campaigning period for the April 10 general election began on Thursday.

People Power Party interim chief Han Dong-hoon, center left, holds a rally in support of Kim Eun-hye, center right, a former senior presidential secretary for public relations who is running for the Bundang-B District seat, near Ori Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Sunday. [YONHAP]

Lee Jae-myung, head of the liberal Democratic Party (DP), focused on appealing to Incheon voters after attending Easter services at churches in his home constituency of Gyeyang District.

The former Gyeonggi governor represents Incheon's Gyeyang-B District, where he is up against his PPP candidate, former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong.

Kim Boo-kyum, co-chair of the DP's campaign committee, campaigned across southern and central Seoul, including Seocho-B District, where DP floor leader Hong Ihk-pyo is running for a parliamentary seat, and Gyeonggi's Namyangju.

The DP rallies criticized the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's policies, poor personnel choices and presidential gaffes, arguing that they made life more difficult for the people.

Former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong, left, the People Power Party’s candidate for Incheon’s Gyeyang-B District, crosses paths with his Democratic Party rival Lee Jae-myung, chief of the liberal party, in their campaign trail in Gyeyang District, Incheon, Sunday afternoon with 10 days left until the general election. They also attended the same Easter service at a church in Gyeyang District earlier that morning. [NEWS1]

Minor parties also were busy with campaign activities Sunday, with former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon's New Future Party focused on western Seoul's Mapo District and the metropolitan area and former PPP chief Lee Jun-seok's New Reform Party holding rallies in Incheon and the Chungcheong region.

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party, visited Geoje, the hometown of late President Kim Young-sam, and other nearby cities to woo voters in Gyeongsang.

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk of the Rebuilding Korea Party speaks at a press conference in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on Sunday. [NEWS1]

The National Election Commission (NEC) announced Sunday that the total number of eligible domestic and overseas voters came to 44,280,011. This is an increase of 0.6 percent, or 285,764 voters, from 43,994,247 people for the 2020 general election.

There were some 8.71 million people in their 50s, accounting for the largest age group of domestic voters at 19.7 percent, according to the election watchdog.

They were followed by 17.8 percent in their 40s, 17.4 percent in their 60s, 14.8 percent in their 30s, 14.5 percent over 70, 13.8 percent in their 20s and 2 percent, or 890,000 young people, aged 18 or 19.

By gender, 50.5 percent were female, and 49.5 percent were male.

By region, Gyeonggi had the most voters, 26.2 percent, or about 11.59 million people, followed by Seoul, Busan, and North Gyeongsang. Sejong City had the fewest voters, 0.7 percent.

Overseas voting kicked off last Wednesday and will run at 220 polling stations across 115 countries through Monday.

According to the NEC Sunday, the overseas voter turnout as of Saturday midnight was 30.2 percent, more than double the turnout in the 2020 general election, at 11.8 percent, or 44,755 voters out of 147,989 registered overseas voters.

In the 2020 general election, the final overseas voter turnout was 23.8 percent, the lowest ever since overseas voting was introduced, as it took place during the Covid-19 pandemic.

BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]