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

Liberal party contender Lee Jae-myung once again addressed his supporters in the capital, Seoul, today.

With the start of early voting, he focused on encouraging the public to vote.

Our correspondent Shin Ha-young reports.

Marking the first day of early voting in the snap presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung kicked off his campaign on Thursday morning after casting his ballot in Sinchon, Seoul, an area known for its many universities.

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

"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 also focused its efforts 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.

Lee later addressed supporters again in the capital, including in Seocho-gu District, one of Seoul’s busiest transit hubs.

"During his campaign in Seoul’s Seocho-gu District, Lee Jae-myung outlined plans to develop the area into a hub for K-culture and make the Gangnam region a more competitive and innovative center of the city’s economy."

Ahead of Thursday's rallies, 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."

Lee will continue his campaign in Gangwon-do Province on Friday, where rival Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party is also scheduled to hold rallies.

Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.