SEOUL– The two leading presidential candidates are expected to highlight their plans for relations with Japan on Tuesday as the country marks the anniversary of a 1919 uprising against Tokyo’s colonial rule.
Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) are expected to use their campaign rallies in Seoul to outline how they will handle relations with Japan long plagued by history-related tensions.
Lee will kick off his campaign schedule with a meeting with foreign businessmen and is expected to unveil his plans on boosting foreign investment. He will then move to Myeong-dong, central Seoul, for a rally with other DP members, where he is expected to talk about Japan.
In a recent article he contributed to Foreign Affairs magazine, Lee expressed regret over “Tokyo’s unwillingness to let go of its imperial past,” saying it “continues to hamper trilateral cooperation between Japan, South Korea, and the United States.
Lee is also expected to slam his rival Yoon for suggesting he could be open to the possibility of Japanese troops entering the Korean Peninsula in the event of a contingency.
Yoon will start his campaign schedule by visiting the Seoul National Cemetery, where he will pay respect to fallen heroes in the independence movement. He is scheduled to rally near Chung-Ang University, the alma mater of Lee, and move to Sinchon, a favorite haunt of college crowds, to target young voters.
During his campaign rallies, Yoon is expected to outline his views on Japan while criticizing the current Moon Jae-in administration’s policy on Tokyo.
He earlier denounced the Moon government for “bombing” ties with Japan, saying history issues cannot be sorted out if there is no close relationship between the two.
Meanwhile, Ahn Cheol-soo, the candidate of the minor opposition People’s Party, will attend the government’s March 1 Independence Movement Day ceremony in Seoul to start his day.
He is also scheduled to visit the funeral altar of Lee O-young, the country’s first cultural minister who died Saturday, to express his condolences.
Ahn and Yoon have been under pressure to unify candidacies to boost the opposition’s chances of winning the March 9 election, but the two recently admitted negotiations have fallen apart and blamed each other for the breakdown.
Ahn is expected to reiterate his earlier commitment to finish the race on his own.
Sim Sang-jeung, the candidate of the minor progressive Justice Party, will be campaigning in Gyeonggi Province, visiting the border town of Paju and Goyang, where she holds a parliamentary seat.
Tuesday also marks the start of voting for sailors aboard their ships. Early voting will kick off Friday for two days across the nation.
Source: Yonhap News Agency