Candidates clash over corruption, martial law in last TV debate before vote

Presidential candidates hold hands before the third debate for the June 3 election, held at MBC Studio in Seoul, Tuesday. They are, from left, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, Kwon Young-kook of the Korean Democratic Labor Party, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party. Yonhap

Allegations of corruption and the specter of martial law dominated a fiery presidential debate, Tuesday, as Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) traded sharp accusations.

Kim argued that calling the Dec. 3 martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol a coup attempt before a court ruling was both premature and misleading. He stressed the importance of following legal procedures and said, “The court must decide whether it was a rebellion or not.” Kim also reiterated his long-standing opposition to martial law, citing his personal experiences under previous authoritarian regimes.

Lee, in contrast, criticized Kim for defending what he described as a “coup regime.” He asked, “If sending troops to the National Assembly and stripping citizens of their rights isn’t a rebellion, then what is?” Lee also took issue with Kim’s refusal to support the National Assembly’s motion demanding that Cabinet members apologize for the martial law. Kim argued that the motion was not an appropriate way to pursue accountability.

Kim shifted the focus to Lee’s legal troubles, calling him a symbol of corruption. He highlighted five ongoing trials involving Lee, including charges linked to major land development scandals during his time as mayor of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, financial dealings with the city's football team and election law violations. Kim also accused Lee of trying to change laws for personal benefit, saying, “Even an emperor wouldn’t act like this.”

Kim also raised concerns about the deaths of several of Lee’s former aides and associates who were under investigation, including Jeon Yong-soo, his former chief of staff during his time as Gyeonggi Province governor. He argued that these incidents point to deeper problems with Lee’s leadership.

But Lee dismissed the accusations as baseless, saying they stem from “fabricated indictments” pushed by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s prosecutors.

“If there was real evidence, I wouldn’t be standing here,” he said.

Lee argued that the legal reforms he supports are aimed at improving the broader justice system, not intended as a shield for his own legal troubles.

Lee Jun-seok of the conservative Reform Party also criticized Lee, accusing him of changing the DPK’s bylaws to protect his leadership despite facing legal charges. He claimed the changed bylaws allowed indicted politicians to remain in party leadership, undermining accountability.

Kwon Young-kook of the minor Korean Democratic Labor Party criticized both Lee and Kim for deepening political polarization. He called for introducing a runoff system and stronger gender quotas for party nominations to restore fairness in Korea’s political system.

The debate, hosted by the National Election Commission, comes just days before the June 3 presidential election. The exchanges underscored deep divisions among the candidates, with Lee framing the election as a fight against authoritarianism, while Kim portrayed the DPK candidate as a corrupt figure seeking to avoid justice.