Conservative Kim began his final campaign push from the southernmost tip of the country, Jeju Island, before making his way north and wrapping up in Seoul’s hip Gangnam district where he is set to meet with young voters.
He called Lee a “dangerous man” who would abuse the office of president and the parliament controlled by his Democratic Party in an unchecked manner.
Dominating the headlines of the last day of campaigning are allegations that the Democratic Party fabricated an endorsement of Lee by veteran Singapore-based investor Jim Rogers.
The Democratic Party said on Friday that Rogers described Lee as “a leader who can open a new chapter of peace, prosperity, and global leadership”.
But local media quoted him as telling them he had “not endorsed anyone in Korea ever”, saying “Mr Lee is making things up”.
Rogers did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.
The conservative candidate once again apologised on Monday for Yoon’s martial law and pledged to undertake political reform.
“Martial law was wrong, and there were many other wrongdoings. I promise Korean politics will be different from the past,” Kim said at his last rally near Seoul City Hall.
The two leading candidates were scheduled to wrap up three weeks of official campaigning at midnight in Seoul, with polls set to open at 6am (5am, Singapore time) on Tuesday across the country.
The winner, who will be certified on Wednesday, will have just a few short hours before taking office without the usual two-month transition as Yoon was removed by the Constitutional Court on Apr 4 for grave violation of his lawful duties.
