Daegu-Gyeongbuk key battleground

[Anchor]

As all three candidates visit Daegu, the traditionally conservative stronghold of Daegu-Gyeongbuk(TK) has emerged as a battleground.

While each candidate has different situations and intentions, there is a clear determination to capture the wavering public sentiment following the martial law and impeachment.

Reporter Bang Jun-won has the story.

[Report]

During the last presidential election, candidate Yoon Suk Yeol received 73.89% of the votes in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, while candidate Lee Jae-myung received 22.76%.

This reflects the region's traditional conservative strength in the voting patterns.

However, public sentiment ahead of the 21st presidential election is fluctuating.

Recent opinion polls show that in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, candidate Kim Moon-soo has 46% support, while candidate Lee Jae-myung has 32%.

The conservative base is shaking after experiencing emergency martial law and the impeachment crisis.

The Democratic Party is focusing its efforts on Daegu and Gyeongbuk.

Since the selection of the presidential candidate till today, candidate Lee Jae-myung, who is visiting the region for the third time, is aiming to become the first president from TK in the Democratic Party, seeking to exploit the cracks in conservative support.

[Lee Jae-myung/Democratic Party Presidential Candidate: "Is this really Daegu? Is this really Daegu? It seems like Daegu is in trouble."]

Candidate Kim Moon-soo cannot let his guard down either.

He has been staying in Daegu since the first day of the official campaign, leveraging his TK background to rally conservative support and rebound his approval ratings.

[Kim Moon-soo/People Power Party Presidential Candidate: "Who will save the country from crisis? I believe the citizens of Daegu and Gyeongbuk know that it is Kim Moon-soo from the People Power Party."]

Candidate Lee Jun-seok from the Reform Party has a strategy to take the lead in conservatism.

He claims that public sentiment in Daegu is changing and aims to create a one-on-one matchup with candidate Lee Jae-myung.

[Lee Jun-seok/Reform Party Presidential Candidate: "If you support candidate Kim Moon-soo, he will definitely be in second place. Will you give your hopes for the candidate who can be first?"]

Candidate Lee Jae-myung aims to secure over 30% of the votes in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, candidate Kim Moon-soo seeks overwhelming support from traditional supporters, and candidate Lee Jun-seok is looking to expand the new conservative support base.

This is KBS News, Bang Jun-won.