Spotlight shifts to Lee Jae-myung’s son as early voting ends

From left, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party campaign in Seoul’s Jamsil Stadium, Ansan Culture Plaza in Gyeonggi Province, and near Anam Station in Seoul, respectively, Thursday, the first day of early voting for Korea’s 21st presidential election. Yonhap

With just four days left until Election Day, voters headed to polling stations for early voting on Friday, which began Thursday, while political tensions mounted over renewed scrutiny over Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung’s son.

Also, conservatives continued to promote what is being called a “reservoir strategy” as part of their efforts to counter Lee’s front-runner status.

As of the close of early voting at 6 p.m. Friday, the National Election Commission reported a final early voting turnout of 34.74 percent, with 15.42 million out of 44.39 million eligible voters having cast their ballots nationwide. This is the second-highest early turnout rate in Korea’s election history, following the 36.93 percent recorded in the presidential election in 2022.

Voter turnout exceeded 50 percent in traditional liberal democratic strongholds, including South Jeolla, North Jeolla provinces and Gwangju, while turnout in Daegu, a conservative stronghold, remained in the mid-20 percent range.

Lee, who has maintained a steady lead in the polls so far, campaigned in Gangwon and North Chungcheong provinces — two regions he narrowly lost in the presidential election in 2022.

In Chuncheon, Lee pledged to promote the bio-health industries and tourism as part of his campaign’s regional development strategies under the so-called “ABCDEF” plan. His campaign has denounced the renewed focus on his son’s reported lewd comments and multi-billion-won illegal gambling activities as politically motivated, urging the media to focus on policy rather than personal scandals.

The controversy surrounding Lee’s son has emerged again as a key flashpoint in the race's final days. Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok has accused Lee’s son of making sexually explicit comments online and engaging in illegal gambling, citing court records that show a 5 million won fine ($3,626) for obscene remarks and allegations of over 230 million won in gambling transactions.

The People Power Party (PPP) has echoed these attacks, questioning the source of Lee’s son’s gambling funds, raising suspicions of tax evasion and false asset reporting and calling for a full investigation. They argue the issue reflects Lee’s character and fitness to lead, with some PPP leaders labeling the Lee family a “criminal family” and warning of broader ethical concerns under his leadership.

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at a polling station in Samseong 1-dong Community Service Center, Gangnam District, Seoul, Friday, the second day of early voting for Korea’s 21st presidential election. Yonhap

Lee’s campaign has pushed back, accusing the opposition of recycling old controversies for political gain. They point out that Lee already apologized for his son’s behavior during the election in 2022 and argue that revisiting the matter now is an attempt to distract voters from substantive policy debates.

Meanwhile, the PPP’s Kim Moon-soo launched a 90-hour nonstop national tour Friday, promising to “rebuild the nation” and stop Lee from becoming president. Speaking in Gyeonggi Province, Kim acknowledged the past failures of his party but vowed reform, stating, “Give me a chance to prove I’ve changed.” He also targeted Lee’s son, framing the controversy as a reflection of Lee’s own character flaws and his ability to lead the country.

Kim’s campaign is banking on the reservoir strategy, aimed at preventing the DPK’s Lee Jae-myung from securing an outright majority. The approach involves Lee Jun-seok acting as a spoiler candidate — siphoning votes from Lee, particularly among younger and protest-minded voters — while Kim concentrates on consolidating the conservative base. Supporters argue that if Lee’s vote share can be kept below 50 percent and Kim gains momentum, a conservative upset may still be within reach.

The strategy draws parallels to the 1997 presidential election, when a third-party candidate, Lee In-je, siphoned off voters from conservative front-runner Lee Hoi-chang, enabling Kim Dae-jung to clinch a narrow victory.

However, experts remain skeptical, warning that unless a significant proportion of Lee Jun-seok’s support shifts to Kim, the reservoir effect alone is unlikely to change the outcome.

Campaigns are expected to intensify their efforts over the weekend. Kim will focus on rallying conservative strongholds in Busan, Daegu and Gwangju, while Lee is scheduled to visit Daejeon and Ulsan to shore up swing voters. Lee Jun-seok plans to continue his whirlwind schedule in Seoul, capitalizing on young voters’ frustration with the political establishment.

As the early voting period concludes, political observers caution that barring a dramatic shift, Lee Jae-myung remains the candidate to beat. Still, the coming days — marked by mass rallies, sharp barbs and the final campaign blitz — could reshape the narrative ahead of the June 3 election.