DPK's Lee, PPP's Kim vie for votes in crucial battleground for 2nd day

This combined photo shows the presidential candidates of South Korea's major political parties -- Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, left, Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party, center, and Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative Reform Party -- making stump speeches in the southwestern city of Iksan; Suwon, near Seoul; and the central city of Cheonan, respectively, ahead of the June 3 presidential election, May 16. Yonhap

Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo set out for their campaign rallies in the greater Seoul area Tuesday, as they seek to reach out to centrist voters.

With just two weeks until the June 3 presidential election, Lee crisscrossed Gyeonggi Province, while Kim appealed to voters in Seoul.

The greater Seoul area is home to about half of the population of 52 million, making it a key battleground in the election that will pick a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid.

In various opinion polls, Lee was ahead of Kim. A Realmeter survey released this week showed that Lee garnered 50.2 percent support, trailed by Kim with 35.6 percent and Lee Jun-seok of the minor Reform Party (NRP) with 8.7 percent.

Lee of the DPK kicked off the day by holding virtual talks with Korean expatriates living abroad to encourage overseas voting, which takes place for a week starting Tuesday.

"In a democratic republic, power is determined by people's votes, yet many choose to abstain from voting," he said, stressing that a vote is "stronger than a bullet."

He then headed to Uijeongbu and Goyang, on the northern outskirts of Seoul, before visiting the border regions of Paju and Gimpo in Gyeonggi.

In Goyang, he will present his vision to transform the city into a "global content hub." In Paju, he will promote his pledge to build an expressway that connects the northwestern part of Gyeonggi Province with Gangwon Province to prepare for an era of inter-Korean cooperation.

On his final stop of the day in Gimpo, he is expected to unveil his plan to significantly reduce travel time between Gimpo and Seoul's Gangnam area to within 30 minutes.

Lee previously served as the governor of Gyeonggi Province from 2018 to 2021.

The PPP's Kim continued his campaign to woo swing voters in the key battleground of Seoul.

He started the day by signing an agreement with the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of Korea in the western ward of Yangcheon to promote the arts sector.

He then visited a traditional market in Gangseo in southern Seoul and met with "jjokbang" residents, or those living in tiny rooms often found in shantytowns, in Yeongdeungpo to learn about their challenges and vulnerable living conditions.

Kim will later head to the southeastern parts of Seoul, including Seocho, Songpa and Gangdong, as well as Hanam in Gyeonggi Province.

Kim has been striving to win over centrist voters and consolidate anti-Lee Jae-myung sentiment while keeping the door open for a candidacy merger with Lee Jun-seok of the NRP to challenge the DPK's Lee.