[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] The curtain has risen on the presidential election as the registration for preliminary candidates for the 20th presidential election began on the 12th. The election will be held on March 9 next year, about eight months from now.
According to the National Election Commission on the day, a total of seven people registered as preliminary candidates on the first day of preliminary candidate registration. The first to complete registration was former Chief of Staff Lee Seok-jun, acting on behalf of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min of the People Power Party also completed registration in the morning. From the ruling party, former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun registered as preliminary candidates in the afternoon.
Immediately after registering as a preliminary candidate, former Prosecutor General Yoon said through his spokesperson's office, "We will build a Republic of Korea where fairness and common sense stand upright together with the people." Former lawmaker Yoo posted on SNS after registration, "I will definitely become the unified opposition candidate, replace the regime, and become a competent president who solves the problems of the era."
Ruling party frontrunner Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung postponed his preliminary candidate registration. Since current officeholders must resign to become preliminary candidates, Governor Lee decided to maintain his position for the time being to minimize administrative gaps and participate in the Democratic Party's presidential primary. In addition, Oh Seung-cheol, chairman of the Korean Society of Personality Studies, market merchant Kang Seong-hyun, and Kim Ki-cheon, CEO of medical device company Dr. Kim, also submitted preliminary candidate documents.
The National Election Commission will accept preliminary candidate registration applications from today, which is "240 days before the election" according to the Public Official Election Act, until February 12 next year. Candidate registration will take place from February 13 to 14 next year, followed by the official election campaign starting on the 15th of the same month.
Even after registering as a preliminary candidate, some election campaigning is allowed. From the day of registration, candidates can establish election offices and appoint up to 10 paid election staff, and can conduct election campaigns via phone, text, email, distribute business cards, and publish pledge booklets.
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