CANDIDATES TOUT PLEDGES

[Anchor Lead]

With 49 days left before the presidential election, the candidates are touting their campaign pledges related to the economy and people's livelihoods. DP presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has vowed to create three million jobs. His rival Yoon Suk-yeol promised to lift the business curfew for sports facilities.

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Lee Jae-myung says he will create more than three million jobs. It's one of his economic pledges announced recently. His pledge includes a proposal made by former PPP Rep. Yoo Seong-min and stresses pragmatism.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Pres. Candidate) : "Former Rep. Yoo Seong-min proposed a wise and realistic policy of creating one mn jobs in the social service sector. I want to adopt his proposition."

Lee has vowed to double subsidies for young job-seekers and raise the youth employment rate by 5 percentage points during his tenure. He also promised to reduce the wage gap between male and female employees in the public sector first.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Pres. Candidate) : 'The glass ceiling index in S. Korea is among the lowest in OECD nations. Structural wage discrimination must be addressed first."

Lee reiterated the need to provide massive subsidies to small business owners. Yoon Suk-yeol, who also attended the event, vowed tailored policies to help all small businesses without exception.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(PPP Pres. Candidate) : "Sectors that need funding the most should be identified and subsidized first."

Yoon emphasized policies to improve people's livelihoods. He met with the owners of indoor gyms and said the 9 p.m. business curfew should be lifted.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(PPP Pres. Candidate) : "There is no evidence that the coronavirus lays dormant before 9 p.m. and becomes active after 9 p.m."

Yoon also vowed to unify the wages of social workers, which currently differ by region and sector, in a bid to improve their remuneration. Justice Party presidential nominee Sim Sang-jung stressed climate change response and expressed her willingness to collaborate with the Green Party. The People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo has hired Professor Choi Jin-seok, a harsh critic of the Democratic Party, as his election committee chief.