Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, is in deep thought about whether to participate in early voting for the June 3 presidential election. He pointed out the poor management of elections by the National Election Commission and even made a pledge to abolish the early voting system, but the situation requires encouraging early voting to increase voter turnout.
Kim said during a meeting with reporters after visiting the Korean Medical Association in Yongsan, Seoul, that when asked about the 'early voting' plan for this presidential election, he noted, "I think the voter turnout needs to be high," adding, "I will see it once and then decide."
Kim has previously pointed out the 'poor management of elections,' stating, "The early voting system has many problems." He mentioned during the last primary debate, "Behind the allegations of electoral fraud is the early voting system that lasts for two days," and claimed, "There are parts that violate election laws in this process, and management is also poor." After a meeting with young agricultural workers in Goyang the previous day, he reiterated his commitment to ensuring fair election management, saying, "For example, I am requesting the National Election Commission to address issues like printing rather than having the election manager's seal truly marked on early voting ballots." He has also announced a presidential pledge to abolish the early voting system and conduct the main voting over two days.
Generally, candidates have participated in early voting to encourage voters to cast their votes. Former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who mentioned 'resolving allegations of electoral fraud' as one of the major reasons for declaring martial law on Dec. 3, has also consistently participated in early voting.
The party plans to encourage early voting to maximize voter turnout.
Shin Dong-uk, the chief spokesperson for the election campaign committee, met with reporters that morning, stating, "I believe actively participating in early voting and increasing voter turnout is a pathway to victory." He added, "The essence of an election is transparency. Election management must be thorough to ensure that the public does not have doubts. We must not mislead the public into believing that not participating in early voting or advocating for electoral fraud is acceptable."
Meanwhile, Kim commented on the basic social concept introduced by Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate, saying, "I don't understand what the term 'basic society' means," and questioned, "Isn't it not enough to just say things?" He added, "Judging whether it is sustainable and beneficial to society is a different matter," asserting, "I will see what the 'basic society' refers to and then decide."
Earlier, candidate Lee Jae-myung stated, "We will strive to realize all the rights of the people as specified in our Constitution in all areas of life, including housing, healthcare, care, education, and public services, and we will open a 'basic society' where the state and society share responsibility," while announcing the basic social pledge. He stated that he plans to push for the establishment of a national dedicated organization and a public-private cooperation system for the realization of the basic society, the establishment of an income guarantee system by life cycle, and the expansion of public rental dwellings.