Political mudslinging takes over policy talk during 2nd live debate between presidential candidates

And just last Friday presidential contenders faced off in a second TV debate this time on matters of social concern and beyond their policy pledges they fiercely locked horns over alleged wrongdoings.

Our correspondent Oh Soo-young covers the debate and the dispute.

While promising social unity, presidential candidates clashed ferociously over politics and policy in their second televised debate.

Focusing on social affairs, Friday's topics were social division, social safety nets, and sustainability.

The Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung said he would overcome social division and inequality with technology such as AI,.. and continue to improve the current national pension system.

As the former labor minister, the People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo promised to build wider income safety nets for small businesses, with improved pension schemes.

Reform candidate Lee Jun-seok proposed a major pension overhaul, pointing out the two major parties' legislative revision last year, benefits the older generation while adding a 37-thousand-dollar burden on every young Korean.

He also called for cuts to unnecessary, high-tech scans that ramp up health insurance premiums.

Democratic Labor's Kwon Young-kook suggested doubling the basic pension to over 500 U.S. dollars, and building scores of state-run hospitals.

Candidates also clashed over climate and energy policies.

Left-leaning candidates continued pushing for renewable energy sources over nuclear power.

Kim Moon-soo and Lee Jun-seok argued that nuclear power is much more efficient, affordable, and essential to support future industries like AI.

But politics overrode policy throughout the two-hour debate.

Lee Jae-myung said Kim Moon-soo was part of the impeached Yoon Suk Yeol administration that declared martial law last year.

“The most extreme form of social conflict is an insurrection by martial law. Weren't they trying to completely wipe out the opposition?”

Kim Moon-soo accused Lee's party of insurrection, for handing radical left-wing groups seats in parliament, and underscored Lee's five criminal trials.

“In corruption cases like Baekhyeon-dong and Daejang-dong, just look at how many people close to him are in prison, or have died under suspicious circumstances? Uprooting lies and corruption is the first step toward national unity.”

Lee Jun-seok blasted both the leading parties.

He said that while the conservatives are tarnished with Yoon's martial law, the majority Democratic Party is just as guilty of creating a broken society.

"You should be ashamed. Those who are jointly responsible for wrecking the country show up in red and blue only different in color fighting over power, in a shameless world."

The third and final live debate takes place on Tuesday, focusing on politics.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.