Rival candidates to woo voters in swing provinces on final day of early voting

By Joo Kyung-don

SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- The rival presidential candidates were set to ramp up campaigns in swing provinces on the second and final day of early voting Saturday, with high voter interest in the tight race expected to lead to record turnout.

Turnout in Friday's early voting was 17.57 percent, the highest-ever for the first day since the early voting system was introduced in 2014, and the final turnout after Saturday is expected to set a new record, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).

The election watchdog had earlier projected the final early voting turnout could surpass 30 percent. The current turnout record in early voting was set in parliamentary elections in 2020 with 26.69 percent.

Both the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) have been encouraging people to go to the polls during the two-day early voting period ahead of the March 9 election, claiming high turnout benefits their candidates amid a tight race.

Both Lee Jae-myung of the liberal DP and Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative PPP already cast their ballots Friday, while President Moon Jae-in also voted early.

For Saturday, Lee will focus on campaigning on his home turf, Gyeonggi Province. He was the governor of South Korea's most populous province before he became the DP presidential candidate.

He will make stops in Hanam, Seongnam, Yongin, Osan, Pyeongtaek and Siheung. Seongnam is Lee's "political hometown," as he served two consecutive terms as mayor of the city from 2010 to 2018.

Yoon will start the day by visiting Jecheon and Chungju, both in North Chungcheong Province.

The former prosecutor general will then move to Gyeonggi Province to hold rallies in Yeoju, Icheon, Gwangju and Namyangju.

Yoon is also scheduled to speak at Children's Grand Park in Seoul, where he will introduce his vision for kids and future generations, and go to Nowon district in northern Seoul.

The PPP expects Yoon's campaign to receive a boost when Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party joins its rallies.

Ahn, who had been running third in opinion polls, withdrew from the race Thursday to support Yoon. He reportedly plans to speak for Yoon at a rally in Icheon.

Meanwhile, Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party is scheduled to start the day in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, where she will also visit the national cemetery for the 1980 pro-democracy uprising.

Sim will then hold campaign rallies in Seoul with focus on women and young voters.

kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)