7 candidates, 1 winner: Presidential hopefuls vie for top job as race kicks off

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7 candidates, 1 winner: Presidential hopefuls vie for top job as race kicks off

Published: 12 May. 2025, 10:52 Updated: 19 May. 2025, 10:20

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Banners for liberal Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung and conservative People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo hang over a street in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on the first official day of campaigning for the 21st presidential election on May 12. [YONHAP]

A total of seven candidates have registered for the 21st presidential election, which will be held on June 3, according to figures tallied on Sunday.

Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) submitted his registration documents on the final day of candidate registration, bringing the total number of presidential candidates to seven, according to the National Election Commission.

On the first day of registration on Saturday, six candidates had officially tossed their hats into the ring: Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party (DP), Lee Jun-seok of the splinter conservative Reform Party, Kwon Young-gook of the left-wing Korean Democratic Labor Party, Koo Joo-wa of the far-right Liberty Unification Party and independents Song Jin-ho and Hwang Kyo-ahn.

The candidate numbers have been assigned as follows: No. 1 is Lee Jae-myung, No. 2 is Kim, No. 4 is Lee Jun-seok, No. 5 is Kwon, No. 6 is Koo, No. 7 is Hwang and No. 8 is Song.

Under the current Public Official Election Act, candidate numbers are assigned in order of parliamentary seats. Since the third-largest party, the liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, did not nominate a candidate, No. 3 was left vacant.

Candidates from parties without parliamentary seats are assigned numbers in the Korean alphabetical order of their party names. Independent candidates are assigned numbers based on a draw conducted by the election commission.

To qualify as a presidential candidate, one must be a Korean citizen aged 40 or older and have resided in the country for at least five years as of election day. They must also not be disqualified under the Public Official Election Act and are required to pay a 300 million won ($214,470) deposit.

From left: Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party, Lee Jun-seok of the splinter conservative Reform Party, Kwon Young-guk of the socialist Democratic Labor Party, Koo Joo-wa of the far-right Liberty Unification Party and independents Song Jin-ho and Hwang Kyo-ahn [NATIONAL ELECTION COMMITTEE]

The election commission also disclosed the personal information of the candidates, including their assets, tax payments and military service records.

Lee Jae-myung reported assets totaling around 3.09 billion won, Kim 1.07 billion won and Lee Jun-seok 1.47 billion won.

Kwon declared 2.5 billion won, Koo 1.74 billion won, Hwang 3.32 billion won and Song 288.7 million won.

Lee Jae-myung and Kim each had three criminal violations on record, Kwon had four and Song had 17.

In terms of military service, Lee Jae-myung was designated wartime labor service due to the effects of a fractured arm during his youth, while Kim received the same classification due to complications following ear surgery. Wartime labor service refers to people deemed unfit for combat duty due to health or other reasons, instead serving in other sectors of society. Lee Jun-seok, Koo and Song all completed regular military service.

Official campaigning began Sunday midnight.

Each candidate designed their first-day schedule to symbolically reflect their campaign messages.

Lee Jae-myung's itinerary emphasizes “overcoming insurrection” and “recovery and growth.”

He began his first rally at 10 a.m. in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul.

Jo Seoung-lae, chief spokesperson for the DP’s central election committee, said the location symbolizes the “Revolution of Light,” in reference to the national recovery from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration on Dec. 3 last year.

Lee’s schedule then shifted southward to focus on economic growth. At noon, he hosted a brown bag meeting on innovation in Pangyo, Gyeonggi.

The PPP's Kim is campaigning under the theme of “A Great Korea.”

For his first campaign stop, Kim visited Garak Market in Songpa District, southern Seoul, at 5 a.m., signaling his focus on economic issues tied to food prices.

He also visited the Daejeon National Cemetery to emphasize veterans’ affairs and campaigned at Seomun Market in Daegu, known as a conservative stronghold.

Daegu is one of the few regions he had not yet visited during the primaries campaign, having suspended his previous trip scheduled last Tuesday due to internal party disputes over consolidating the candidacy.

Lee Jun-seok, running under the slogan “Overwhelming Novelty,” launched his campaign at midnight at the Yeosu National Industrial Complex in South Jeolla.

A campaign aide said the choice mirrors how former President Roh Moo-hyun turned his campaign around by starting in the Honam region — which refers to the North and South Jeolla provinces in southwestern Korea — during the DP’s primary.

Lee echoed this sentiment at Myeongji Market in Busan on Sunday, saying he wanted to "carry on Roh’s spirit."

The market is where Roh gave a speech in 2000 during his unsuccessful bid for a seat in Busan after withdrawing from the Seoul Jongno race.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG,YOON SUNG-MIN [[email protected]]