South Korea’s Nastiest Presidential Election

When the 22-day official campaign period started on February 15, South Korea’s presidential election, set for March 9, entered its final phase. Yoon’s pledge to relocate the presidential office to the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun and opening the “Gwanghwamun era” is the core of his political reform plan, appealing to nonpartisan middle-class swing voters, especially young people. With his pledge to end what he calls “the Cheong Wa Dae era, during which the presidential office reigned over the people,” Yoon is promising to reform South Korea’s imperial presidency. Many South Koreans, including medical experts from various sectors, openly criticize the government’s chaotic new COVID-19 self-test system, which, in their view, has not only left those classified as “low risk” virtually to their own devices but has also caused medical chaos and civil anxiety with a sense of “being locked up and neglected.” From the end of January to February 22, the daily count of infections surged more than ten-fold. Overall, Lee and the ruling DP’s major challenge lies in how they can dramatically increase the number of supporters amid a “crisis of trust.” Lee faces three major risks, including insufficient approval ratings in the Seoul metropolitan area, allegations of involvement in a massive land development project in the city of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province while serving as Seongnam’s mayor, and abuse of power allegations levied against his wife.