S. Korea's Presidential Election D-1: Analysis of the race and voter sentiment outlook

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

South Korea's 21st presidential election officially begins in less than a day, with more than 14,000 polling stations set to open nationwide.

Voters will cast their ballots from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., after which sealed ballot boxes will be transported under police escort to 254 counting centers.

Over 70,000 election workers will begin tallying by 8:30, using both machine sorting and manual verification to ensure accuracy.

This snap election, triggered by an unexpected vacancy, follows a strong early voting turnout of 37.4% — the second-highest on record.

Yet the final result may hinge on voter participation in key regions such as Yeongnam, the capital area, and Chungcheong, where early turnout lagged behind.

With polling blacked out since May 28th and candidates making a final push across battleground regions, the race enters its final stretch marked by uncertainty and urgency.

So tonight, we take a closer look at where things stand — and where they might be headed.

For a deeper discussion on this, we are joined in the by Soo Jin (Suzie) Kim, professor of Political Theory at Kyung Hee University. Welcome.

Also joining us online is Lee Hee-eun, dean and professor of Law at Handong International Law School. Good to see you.

1. (Kim) Let's start with the tone of the campaign Prof.Kim. During the brief three-week campaign period, it looks like candidates have focused heavily on negative campaigning and issue-driven tactics. What do you see as the background behind this? And what impact might it have on voter sentiment?

2. (Lee) Zooming in on the candidates' final moves — Over the final weekend before the election, each candidate made last-minute efforts to win over voters. Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party campaigned in the capital region and Chungcheong; Kim Moon-soo of the People's Power Party in Gangwon and Gyeongbuk; and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party focused his final efforts in the capital region. Prof.Lee, What do you think is the significance of these campaign locations? Were these regions strategically chosen to consolidate votes at the last minute?

3. (Kim) Now turning to early voting which took place on May 28 and 29. The Democratic Party has historically encouraged early voting, believing that progressive voters tend to show higher participation in it. But Interestingly, this time, the People's Power Party also actively encouraged early voting. What was the reason behind this shift Prof.Kim?

4. (Lee) Building on that — This presidential election saw an early voting turnout of 34.74%. Although slightly lower than the last presidential election, it's still the second-highest on record. Prof.Lee, what voter psychology do you think this reflects?

5. (Kim) And the interpretations have been sharply divided. The Democratic Party interpreted it as "a reflection of the people's desperate desire to end civil strife," while the People's Power Party argued that it indicated "a growing movement to hold Lee Jae-myung accountable." What's your take Prof.Kim?

6. (Kim) That leads us to a bigger question — do early voting results typically affect the main election day voting or the overall race outcome? What has been the pattern in previous elections?

7. (Lee) But trust in the process remains a concern. Issues like poor management at polling stations during early voting have once again raised concerns about the Election Commission's credibility. What kind of impact could this have on election day Prof.Lee?

8. (Lee) Now, with polling data blacked out since May 28th — the most recent surveys showed a narrowing gap between Lee Jae-myung and Kim Moon-soo. What last-minute variables do you think could still shift the political landscape?

9. (Kim) And finally, when an election is held on a shortened timeline like this one, what potential issues or concerns arise from the standpoint of election quality or procedural democracy Prof.Kim?