The PPP’s Han branded both Lee and Cho “criminals” in his opening campaign speech, and vowed to bring them to justice.
“This is not negative campaigning. This is addressing the needs of the people,” he told cheering supporters.
But with Yoon’s approval rating hovering around 34 per cent, and public discontent running high over the country’s lacklustre economy, the opposition DP and the newly formed minor third party are ahead in some polls.
Lee urged people to treat the vote as a referendum on the last two years under Yoon.
“Due to the government’s incompetence, living cost has skyrocketed, and peace on the Korean Peninsula is in danger due to the foolishness of (Yoon) only shouting for war,” Lee said, slamming the president’s hawkish approach to the nuclear-armed North.
South Korea allows presidents to serve only a single term and Yoon’s ends in 2027.
