Candidates trade blows on martial law, AI and economy at first June 3 election debate

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Candidates trade blows on martial law, AI and economy at first June 3 election debate

Published: 19 May. 2025, 10:27 Updated: 21 May. 2025, 14:17

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

From left, presidential candidates Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, Kwon Young-gook of the Korean Democratic Labor Party, Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party and Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party pose for a photo before the first presidential election debate at the SBS Sangam-dong studio in Mapo District, western Seoul on May 18. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

In the first televised debate for the June 3 presidential election, candidates Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party (DP), Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP), Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party and Kwon Young-gook of the Korean Democratic Labor Party adopted sharply diverse strategies.

Lee Jae-myung focused on highlighting the crisis caused by the Dec. 3 martial law decree last year, using it to attack Kim. When faced with criticism from other candidates, Lee Jae-myung maintained his distance — dismissing the criticism as “extreme,” “distorted” or refusing binary answers by saying, “It’s not something that can be reduced to black and white.”

Kim devoted himself entirely to attacking Lee Jae-myung, concentrating especially on his legal vulnerabilities. Lee Jun-seok also targeted Lee Jae-myung, probing the feasibility of his policy pledges to expose weaknesses.

The debate took place at 8 p.m. on Sunday in the SBS studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District in western Seoul, and lasted two hours.

Martial law and coffee prices?

Lee Jae-myung stressed the responsibility of the PPP in bringing about the martial law crisis.

“Because of the insurrection attempt, the economy and livelihoods have been sabotaged, and small business owners are ruined,” Lee Jae-myung said.

He turned to Kim to say, “As the labor minister under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, don’t you feel any responsibility for the negative economic growth?”

In response to criticism over his “coffee costs 120 won [$0.08]” comment, Lee Jae-myung said, “Kim Yong-tae, emergency committee head of the PPP, distorted my remark to suggest I was attacking small business owners.”

On Saturday, Lee Jae-myung said a cup of coffee costs 120 won to make, contrasting it to its relatively higher selling price, during a campaign rally in Gunsan, North Jeolla. This resulted in severe backlash from small business owners, especially restaurant and cafe owners.

Citizens watch the broadcast of the first presidential debate at a waiting room in Seoul Station in Jung District, central Seoul on May 18. [YONHAP]

Regarding his controversial “hotel economics” theory — stating that even canceled hotel reservations contribute to the economy — Lee Jae-myung called the criticism “extreme” and “a fragmentary question.”

Throughout the debate, he repeatedly countered attacks on his policy ideas and security stance by accusing others of seeing only “one side” of the issue.

'It was your fault, too'

Kim zeroed in on Lee Jae-myung by referring to the allegation of illegal remittances to North Korea. The DP presidential candidate faces allegations of orchestrating a $8 million illicit fransfer to North Korea via a private company, Ssangbangwool Group, during his tenure as Gyeonggi governor, purportedly to facilitate a visit to Pyongyang.

“Could a deputy governor send money without the provincial governor’s knowledge?” Kim asked. Lee Jae-myung dismissed it as “a trumped-up indictment.”

Kim also pushed back on the martial law scandal.

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, left, listens as People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo speaks during the first presidential election debate at the SBS Sangam-dong studio in Mapo District, western Seoul on May 18. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

“I am sorry for the incident, but Lee Jae-myung also bears responsibility,” Kim said. “The DP had repeatedly impeached the president, prime minister and finance minister, and blocked countless laws — the National Assembly knows this well.”

Kim further criticized Lee Jae-myung’s national security stance, pointing to past remarks in which Lee Jae-myung opposed the U.S.-led terminal high altitude area defense (Thaad) missile system and commented during his tenure as DP party chair that one could simply say “xie xie” — thank you in Chinese — regarding the China-Taiwan issue.

“Those are terrifying remarks from a U.S. perspective,” Kim said.

“The Korea–U.S. alliance is important, but there’s no need to antagonize China and Russia,” Lee Jae-myung retorted.

Presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party speaks to reporters after a memorial service at the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju on May 18. [YONHAP]

Accusations hurled

Lee Jun-seok focused on the lack of details in Lee Jae-myung’s policy proposals.

“How are you going to implement a four-and-a-half-day workweek without wage cuts?” Lee Jun-seok asked, to which Lee Jae-myung responded, “We have to move forward through compromise.”

Earlier in the campaign, the DP's Lee promised a shortened workweek where employees' wages don't get cut but still work half a day less than current hours.

“You’re missing the ‘how,’” snapped Lee Jun-seok in response. “You’re like a cult leader exploiting people’s desperation.”

Lee Jun-seok also dismissed Lee Jae-myung’s “hotel economics” as “a crank theory that imagines perpetual economic motion,” mocking the model by saying, “Is it an infinite force that money never disappears in the process of circulating?”

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's supporters rally in front of the SBS Sangam-dong studio in Mapo District, western Seoul on May 18. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Regarding Lee Jae-myung’s national AI pledge, Lee Jun-seok pointed out the reality of the issue, saying, “If it’s about building our own AI, it’s unprecedented in the world.”

Lee Jun-seok also called Lee Jae-myung a “boy who cried wolf” and a “no-show candidate.”

As the attacks intensified, Lee Jae-myung protested: “They’re ganging up on me and not giving me a chance to speak. This kind of extreme distortion is a typical trait of the PPP.”

Kwon also made his presence felt, coming out swinging at Kim from his first question, demanding, “You entered this race to shield Yoon — apologize and withdraw.”

Kwon maintained that combative stance throughout the debate.

Presidential candidate Kwon Young-gook of the Korean Democratic Labor Party listens to a speech at a female voter debate session at the YWCA Seoul in Jung District, central Seoul on May 12. [NEWS1]

We will do better

After the debate ended, candidates expressed their intentions to prepare more thoroughly for upcoming debates.

Two more debates are scheduled for the presidential election, the second on Friday on the topic of social affairs and the third on May 27 on politics including foreign policy.

“Given the hardships facing the Korean people and the country, I think this was a serious debate on how to overcome such challenges.” said Lee Jae-myung to reporters after the debate. “I’ll continue to research and engage in more discussions for a better future for Korea and its people.”

Both Kim and Lee Jun-seok voiced disappointment in Lee Jae-myung’s demeanor.

“I asked Lee Jae-myung whether his ‘coffee costs 120 won’ comment was excessive, and it would have been better if he had apologized,” said Kim. “But instead, he accused me of ‘distortion.’ That was regrettable.”

On Lee Jun-seok, Kim said, “He’s a former party leader of ours, and I don’t think we differ in political conviction. It’s unfortunate that due to our party’s failures, he’s now running separately. The possibility of unification between our candidacies remains open.”

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo's supporters rally in front of the SBS Sangam-dong studio in Mapo District, western Seoul on May 18. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Lee Jun-seok criticized Lee Jae-myung’s lack of preparation.

“I thought Lee Jae-myung wasn’t very well prepared,” he said. “If he’s proposing to spend 100 trillion won on AI, he should at least be able to explain how it will be used.”

“Whenever he was asked a tough question, he’d scoff and call it ‘extreme,’” said Lee Jun-seok. “That’s very typical of Lee Jae-myung — he himself is the most extreme one.”

“I worry that Lee Jae-myung is so caught up in the post-martial-law atmosphere that he thinks he can throw out vague visions without scrutiny,” he continued. “Will he react the same way when negotiating with U.S. President Donald Trump — accusing him of ‘distortion’ or ‘extremism’ whenever he’s challenged?”

“I was the only one who addressed how tax cuts have undermined social welfare,” said Kwon. “As a progressive candidate, I will do everything I can for laborers, ordinary people and the marginalized.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SON KOOK-HEE, HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]