Rival parties gear up for official campaigning set to begin Thursday

The ruling and opposition parties geared up Wednesday for the June 3 local elections and parliamentary by-elections, a day before the start of the official campaign period for the closely watched nationwide vote. The 13-day campaign period will begin Thursday and last until the eve of the elections, with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) expected to launch full-scale campaigns to woo voters across the nation. During this period, candidates and their campaign teams will be allowed to give speeches in public places between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., distribute campaign materials and put up campaign banners. The election is widely considered the first major nationwide test for the Lee Jae Myung administration since it took office last June following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's ouster over his failed martial law bid. The DPK has urged voters to support the party in the elections, stressing the need to "normalize the country" and root out what it calls lingering "insurrectionist forces" linked to Yoon. "(The official campaign period) will

Original source: Korea Times