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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Presidential election: Candidates officially begin race dominated by scandal, third-party challenge

Lee Jae-myung, right, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol from the conservative opposition People Power Party / YonhapSouth Korea's presidential candidates formally began campaigning Tuesday in what is set to be the tightest race in 20 years between its two main parties, which being dominated by scandals have allowed a third challenger to potentially play the role of kingmaker.Polls say voters are looking for a president who can clean up polarized politics and corruption, and tackle the runaway housing prices and deepening inequality that have dogged Asia's fourth-largest economy.Curbing North Korea's weapons tests and resuming talks would be a plus, but even a record month of missile testing by Pyongyang in January hasn't made foreign policy a key issue for the March 9 vote in the South.But the major issues named in the polls have been overshadowed by scandals and petty controversies, ranging from allegations of abuse of power to spats over one candidate's relationship with a shaman and an anal acupuncturist.Fourteen candid

Feb 15, 2022
Presidential election: Candidates officially begin race dominated by scandal, third-party challenge
  • Lee's comments about housing prices irritate Gimpo residents

Lee's comments about housing prices irritate Gimpo residents

Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea talks about his real estate policies during a press conference at Uiwang City Poil Library in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, Jan. 23. On the podium where Lee stands, it is written, “Stabilize housing prices and living conditions.” Newsis Candidates advised to watch their tongues, as in Korea, home is much more than a place to live By Ko Dong-hwanAmong the pledges made by the candidates for the March 9 presidential election, the ones that have been drawing the most attention have to do with real estate policies, as millions of Koreans are wishing to buy their own homes amid soaring prices.The country's housing market has long been suffering a spike in housing prices, most noticeably in Seoul and the surrounding capital area in Gyeonggi Province and Incheon. For people in their 20s or 30s, most of whom have barely accumulated enough money, as well as those with low incomes or living under the poverty line, having their

Feb 15, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
Lee's comments about housing prices irritate Gimpo residents
  • Presidential election: Candidates officially begin race dominated by scandal, third-party challenge
  • Official campaigning kicks off; no progress in Yoon-Ahn coalition

14 candidates register for March presidential election

The Democratic Party of Korea's Gwangju election camp member Nam Jin-hee, left, and KAIST professor Cha Ji-ho register the candidacy of the party's presidential contender Lee Jae-myung to an official of the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, for the March 9 presidential election, Feb. 13. Joint Press Corps. A total of 14 candidates will run in the March 9 presidential election, the state election commission said Monday as it concluded the two-day candidate registration.The National Election Commission said 11 people registered their names Sunday and three more joined the race Monday.On Sunday, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party, Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People's Party and Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party registered their candidacies.Under the relevant laws, a candidate number is awarded according to the size of parliamentary seats held by a contender's party. Lee of the DP, which holds the most seats in parliament, will be given No. 1 as his candidate

Feb 14, 2022
14 candidates register for March presidential election

Yoon, Ahn disagree on how to field unified candidate

Ahn Cheol-soo, left, and Yoon Suk-yeol / Korea Times photoPPP seeks Ahn's concession for Yoon's single candidacy; Ahn sticks to poll-based primary By Kang Seung-wooThe opposition bloc still remained far apart on how to field a unified presidential candidate, Monday, a day after People's Party candidate Ahn Cheol-soo made a dramatic offer to field a single contender. While proposing a unified candidacy to Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), Sunday, Ahn floated the idea of selecting a candidate based on public opinion polls. The PPP, which initially welcomed the offer with open arms, however, came to think twice as it has a different view about the format of deciding a candidate based on surveys. Ahn's offer to select a candidate is similar to one that was used to determine the opposition standard-bearer during last April's Seoul mayoral by-election between Ahn and Oh Se-hoon. In a tight race, a unified candidacy is regarded as a key to winning the March 9 presidential election for the opposition bloc as every public survey has shown a unified candidate betwe

Feb 14, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Yoon, Ahn disagree on how to field unified candidate
  • Bring back the bunnies: Lee, Yoon grapple with revolt of stronghold voters

Ex-president Park's new residence in Daegu draws large crowds

People walk and look around the country house in Daegu known to be ex-president Park Geun-hye's residence, Sunday, after she is released from hospital. A police officer directs traffic as visitors' cars congested traffic on the one-lane road in the area. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinOver a thousand supporters of former President Park Geun-hye, along with tourists, showed up in a small town in Daegu where her new residence is located, according to police on Sunday.Banners supporting Park were hung at the entrance to the village. Three of them read, “Welcome back home Ms. President,” “Please stay healthy President Park,” and, “We call upon President Park to form a party.”Hundreds of visitors toured around the residence, taking selfies in front of the closed gate and stepping on a guardrail surrounding the mansion trying to catch a glimpse of the inside from over the fence, while some even streamed their visit live on YouTube, according to the local reports.The residence was reportedly purchased by Park's lawyer under her name last month.The 1,676-square-meter

Feb 14, 2022By Lee Hae-rin
Ex-president Park's new residence in Daegu draws large crowds

Assembly passes bill allowing COVID-19 patients to vote after regular polling closes

gettyimagesbank The National Assembly passed a bill Monday to allow COVID-19 patients and people in quarantine to vote from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. after regular polling closes on the day of the March 9 presidential election.The revision to the Public Official Election Act was approved at a plenary session.In order to cast their ballots, virus patients and quarantined people need to get temporary leave permits from the health authorities. The move came following concerns that the ongoing virus situation could affect hundreds of thousands of people in the upcoming election as there had been no rules to guarantee that those who test positive for COVID-19 after the early voting period, March 4 and 5, and people who go into self-isolation just before the presidential election could cast their votes. (Yonhap)

Feb 14, 2022
Assembly passes bill allowing COVID-19 patients to vote after regular polling closes
  • What do foreigners want from Korea's next president?

Ahn is by far the richest presidential candidate

Ahn Cheol-soo, second from right, of the centrist People's Party reported the most wealth among Korean presidential candidates. Sim Sang-jeung of the minor liberal Justice Party reported the smallest amount at 1.41 billion won. Yonhap Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People's Party reported the most wealth among South Korean presidential candidates, the National Election Commission (NEC) said Monday.Entrepreneur-turned-politician Ahn reported personal assets of 197.99 billion won ($165 million), the largest amount among the 11 presidential candidates who finished candidacy registration with the NEC, Sunday.Main opposition People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol declared the second largest amount at 7.75 billion won, while ruling Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung reported personal assets of 3.22 billion won, the NEC said.Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party reported the smallest amount among candidates for major political parties at 1

Feb 14, 2022
Ahn is by far the richest presidential candidate

Bring back the bunnies: Lee, Yoon grapple with revolt of stronghold voters

The main opposition People Power Party candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol, center, holds dried fish at a market in the southwestern city of Namwon, North Jeolla Province, while campaigning on Saturday. YonhapBy Kang Hyun-kyungGettyimagesbankRabbits are a metaphor used by campaign strategists in Korea to refer to voters.There are two different kinds of rabbits ― domestic and wild. Domestic rabbits ― or “bunnies” ― refer to traditional supporters of certain parties, such as constituents in their stronghold regions, while those who support other parties or swing voters are called wild rabbits. The rabbit metaphor comes from an old Korean adage: “You can lose your pet rabbits if you're out looking for wild rabbits.” The wisdom warns of an endangered opportunity cost, encouraging people to take good care of what they already have, and only then seek others that can give you extra benefit. In most elections, both the conservative and liberal parties have similar portions of bunnies among the entire voting population. Therefore, the recipe for winning boils down to the consoli

Feb 14, 2022By Kang Hyun-kyung
Bring back the bunnies: Lee, Yoon grapple with revolt of stronghold voters
  • Ahn proposes fielding single opposition candidate to Yoon
  • Yoon, Ahn disagree on how to field unified candidate

Ahn proposes fielding single opposition candidate to Yoon

Ahn Cheol-soo, right, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition conservative People's Party, and Yoon Suk-yeol, left, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, appear before the second TV debate among four of the presidential candidates, held at local broadcaster MBN in Seoul's Jung District, Friday. The other two candidates included Sim Sang-jung, on the back, of the Justice Party, and Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Joint Press CorpsPresidential race enters final stretch with candidate registrations SundayBy Jung Da-min Minor opposition People's Party candidate Ahn Cheol-soo officially proposed fielding a single presidential candidate to main opposition People Power Party (PPP) candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, Sunday, in a bid to ensure a “landslide victory” against the ruling party.His proposal came as the race for the March 9 presidential election enters the final stretch with most candidates of different parties completing candidate registration, Sunday, the first day of the two-day registration period of the Nation

Feb 13, 2022
Ahn proposes fielding single opposition candidate to Yoon
  • Bring back the bunnies: Lee, Yoon grapple with revolt of stronghold voters

Candidate registration begins for March 9 presidential election

Major presidential candidates pose before their TV debate at broadcaster MBN's studio in the Jung District, of Seoul, Feb. 11. From left are Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, Justice Party candidate Sim Sang-jung, People's Party candidate Ahn Cheol-soo and People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol. Joint Press Corps Candidate registration for the March 9 presidential election began Sunday, with all four main contenders, including the ruling party's Lee Jae-myung and the main opposition's Yoon Suk-yeol, registering on the first day to become the country's next president.The National Election Commission (NEC) will receive candidacy registration for two days through Monday before the official 22-day campaign period kicks off Tuesday.Along with Lee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP), Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People's Party and Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party reg

Feb 13, 2022
Candidate registration begins for March 9 presidential election
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