South Korea presidential candidates rally in final campaign stretch

CANDIDATES running in South Korea’s snap presidential election made a last push for votes on Monday, the eve of a poll triggered by ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration.
South Koreans are desperate to draw a line under six months of political turmoil sparked by Yoon’s brief suspension of civilian rule in December, for which he was impeached and removed from office.
All major polls put liberal Lee Jae-myung well ahead in the presidential race, with the latest Gallup survey showing 49 per cent of respondents viewed him as the best candidate.
Conservative Kim Moon-soo, from the People Power Party (PPP) — Yoon’s former party — trailed Lee on 35 per cent. Both candidates have framed the campaign as a fight for the soul of the nation.
Lee spent much of his final day of campaigning in his old stomping grounds of Gyeonggi Province — where he previously served as governor and built much of his support base.
He then headed to Seoul’s Yeouido, to hold his final rally at the site where people gathered to demand disgraced president Yoon be impeached after he attempted to suspend civilian rule in December.
By Monday evening, thousands of Lee’s supporters had gathered, waving blue balloons, as K-pop music blasted and vendors sold glo-sticks emblazoned with Lee’s beaming face. — AFP

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar