SEOUL AND BUSAN MAYORAL ELECTIONS

[Anchor Lead]

The upcoming Seoul and Busan mayoral elections are just a month away. Their outcome will likely determine each party's chances of winning next-year's presidential election. This is why political parties are doing their utmost to win the by-elections.

[Pkg]

The ruling Democratic Party has convened the first election committee meeting at its Seoul mayor candidate's camp. The committee is headed by the party chairman Lee Nak-yon. He stressed that Park Young-sun is thoroughly prepared to head the nation's capital.

[Soundbite] Lee Nak-yon(Chairman, Democratic Party) : "She has dreamed of and prepared for becoming the Seoul mayor for a long time. By electing her, Seoul residents will see their city transform to live up to their dreams."

Regarding land speculation at the Land and Housing Corporation, a factor that could largely undermine the Democratic Party's chances of winning the upcoming by-elections, Lee Nak-yon vowed to thoroughly investigate the matter and process a bill preventing land speculation at the March parliamentary session. The People Power Party has also launched an election committee headed by Kim Chong-in. He says he's determined to sway voters by targeting the land speculation scandal.

[Soundbite] Kim Chong-in(Interim chief of PPP) : "I doubt this matter will be investigated properly. I demand that the probe be conducted thoroughly by prosecutors."

Candidates from various parties gathered in one place to mark International Women's Day. Park Young-sun for the first time personally apologized to the victim of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's sexual harassment.

[Soundbite] Park Young-sun(Democratic Party's Seoul mayor candidate) : "I want to offer my sincere apology once again. I hope the victim will be able to return to a more normal life soon."

Oh Se-hoon and Ahn Cheol-soo blasted Park by saying the Democratic Party is not even qualified to run in the by-elections.

[Soundbite] Oh Se-hoon(People Power Party's Seoul mayor candidate) : "The upcoming election will show what the people think about the incumbent administration and the Democratic Party."

[Soundbite] Ahn Cheol-soo(People Party's Seoul mayor candidate) : "A certain political party is using even the sexual abuse scandal to defend its own interests."

Oh and Ahn have held their first meeting to set up a candidate merger team.
The Democratic and Open Democratic parties are also in talks over who to pick as the single candidate. They have mostly narrowed their differences and could announce the results as early as Tuesday.