ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN FULL SWING

[Anchor Lead]

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung attended a Kwanhun Club discussion in the morning and a Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry meeting in the afternoon, while his People Power Party opponent Yoon Seok-youl went on a two-day visit to Gwangju and the Jeollanam-do region. The leaders of the two opposing parties attacked the qualifications of each other’s candidate at a TV debate.

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Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung cancelled all his appointments on Tuesday to care for his wife, who suffered an injury from a fall. On Wednesday morning he attended a discussion at Kwanhun Club and explained his campaign pledges.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Presidential Candidate) : "By turning this crisis into an opportunity, Korea can transform into a leading country from a following one and create infinitely numerous opportunities."

Lee then went to a meeting with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He was there to discuss his number one pledge: fair growth, with business leaders. Meanwhile, People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl went to the Honam region for the first time since his controversial remark praising ex-President Chun Doo-hwan. It was his first trip outside of the capital area since becoming the main opposition bloc's presidential candidate. His schedules during the two-day visit include visits to the May 18th National Cemetery and the Kim Dae-jung Nobel Peace Prize Memorial. All three candidates from the opposition side showed up at the National Convention of Women to court female voters. Yoon promised to expand maternity leave and childcare services while Sim Sang-jung pledged greater authority for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Ahn Cheol-soo criticized the sex crime controversies in the past involving the two major parties. Through his social media account, Lee Jae-myung proposed adjusting the functions of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family since men should not be subject to reverse discrimination. His proposal is a departure from the existing stance of the government and the ruling party. The leaders of the two largest parties faced each other on a TV debate about the presidential election. Attacks on each other’s candidate intensified.

[Soundbite] Song Young-gil(Democratic Party Chair) : "Yoon is politically inexperienced. He cannot become experienced overnight by studying or learning from someone. He caused controversy by saying that he can appoint right people like Chun Doo-hwan, effectively praising him."

[Soundbite] Lee Jun-seok(People Power Party Chair) : "Lee Jae-myung resembles Chavez in life and administration style, but he keeps referring to former President Park Chung-hee once he became a presidential candidate. I feel he is unreliable and two-faced."

Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil maintained that the shortcomings pointed out in the recent public opinion poll can be overcome while People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok admitted that the convention had left lingering effects but expected that to dissipate shortly.