'The Final Battleground'...Challengers Kim Moonsoo and Lee Junseok Target Lee Jaemyung

Final TV Debate: The Decisive Turning Point
Kim Moonsoo and Lee Junseok Launch All-Out Offensive Against Lee Jaemyung
Focus on Whether They Can Create a Reversal in Approval Ratings

The third TV debate, considered the final battleground of the 21st presidential election, will be held on the afternoon of May 27. Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party candidate, who needs to create a turning point in the approval ratings, and Lee Jaemyung, the Democratic Party candidate, who aims to widen his lead, are expected to clash more fiercely than ever. There is also attention on whether the issue of unifying the conservative candidates, Kim Moonsoo and Lee Junseok, which is the biggest concern in the conservative camp, will be mentioned during the debate.

On May 23, presidential candidates are taking a commemorative photo before the 2nd candidate debate for the 21st presidential election hosted by the National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission at the KBS Headquarters Studio in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. From the left, Lee Jaemyung of the Democratic Party, Kim Moonsoo of the People Power Party, Lee Junseok of the Reform New Party, and Kwon Youngguk of the Democratic Labor Party. 2025.5.23 Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

As this is the final TV debate, Kim Moonsoo is expected to launch an all-out offensive targeting Lee Jaemyung. With only one week left until the main vote and two days until early voting, it is highly likely that Kim will employ an even more aggressive negative campaign strategy. Just four days ago, in the second TV debate, Kim directly attacked Lee from the beginning, calling him a "fake bachelor" and a "fraud." Since the topic of this debate is politics, Kim is likely to highlight Lee's pro-China image, such as his past "Xiexie remark," as well as his defense of alleged election fraud.

Lee Junseok, the Reform New Party candidate, is also expected to engage in a heated exchange with Lee Jaemyung. In the previous two debates, the two candidates clashed on every issue, calling each other "extreme" and "crooked." Lee Junseok's strategy is to maximize his approval rating, which hovers around 10 percent, through the TV debate, where he has a strong advantage. However, his controversy involving political broker Myung Taegyun remains a weakness. With early voting just around the corner, there is a possibility that Lee Junseok may mention candidate unification. However, as he has clearly expressed his intention to see the presidential race through to the end, the likelihood of a surprise statement is considered low.

Lee Jaemyung plans to focus on policy rather than negative campaigning. After the previous debate, he told reporters, "It is unfortunate that as the debates progress, there is more slander and mudslinging," adding, "At the very least, I will focus more on policy debates." By responding calmly to attacks from Kim Moonsoo and Lee Junseok, and by clearly presenting his ideas on constitutional amendment, diplomacy, and security policy?issues of high public interest?he can strengthen his image as a stable candidate. At the same time, he is expected to emphasize the end of insurrection by highlighting Kim Moonsoo's far-right image, linking him to Yoon Sukyeol and Jun Kwanghoon.

Another point of interest is the performance of Kwon Youngguk, the Democratic Labor Party candidate, who has emerged as a "scene-stealer" through the TV debates. In the first debate, Kwon showed a "red card" to U.S. President Donald Trump, and in the second debate, he drew attention by writing the character "Min" (meaning "the people") on his palm. Meanwhile, after the debate ends on this day, the publication of opinion poll results will be prohibited until the end of the presidential election. The candidates plan to focus on securing last-minute votes before the 'blackout' period begins.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.