DP's Lee casts vote in Seoul's Sinchon; campaigns in capital, seeking support amid early voting

Liberal party contender Lee Jae-myung was also among those who cast their ballots today.

For more our political correspondent Shin Ha-young joins me live.

Ha-young welcome.

Now before we touch upon his trip to the polling station earlier this morning let's begin with his campaign.

What's the latest on that front?

Sunny. I'm currently at the Seoul Express Bus Terminal in Seocho-gu District, one of the busiest transit hubs in Seoul.

As you can see behind me, a large crowd has already gathered in front of the stage, waiting for Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung to arrive as part of his continuing campaign in about 30 minutes.

According to a party spokesperson, Lee is expected to present his plan to develop Seocho-gu into a hub for K-culture and to transform Gangnam into a more competitive and innovative core of Seoul's economy.

Ahead of Thursday's rally, Lee joined a meeting on supporting startups, where he discussed expanding the research and development budget, and easing regulations.

"We're now in a time when the private sector is more advanced than the public sector, so we need to shift the direction of the administration. That includes creating a chief policy coordinator for AI at the presidential office, and boosting the National Artificial Intelligence Committee."

Right and now Ha-young as I mentioned earlier Lee has cast his ballot?

You're right, Sunny. Lee Jae-myung cast his ballot this morning, the first day of early voting, in Sinchon, Seoul, an area known for its many universities.

After voting alongside young people, he encouraged the public to vote, emphasizing that it is the strongest way to exercise their sovereignty.

Take a listen.

"We can overcome the insurrection if people come out to vote. I chose to vote alongside young people because I hope this election marks the start of a new era for South Korea, led by its youth."

The DP today also focused on encouraging people to vote.

Even though early voting takes place on weekdays, the party believes it's crucial to bring as many supporters as possible to the polls to secure victory in the presidential election.

They urged voters to take part and clearly show who truly holds power in the country.

The party also called on its campaign members to do their utmost until the very end.

That's all for this hour. Back to you Sunny.

All right Ha-young thank you for now and do keep us updated with the latest from the liberal camp.