Three Different Strategies for Three Presidential Candidates

▽ Widespread "Prevalence Theory" = Presidential Candidate Lee Hui-chang of Grand National Party (GNP) is finding ways to escape from the negative campaigning. Lee has concluded that the public has been extremely fed up with political haggling, which is totally unrelated to day-to-day needs of the public. Instead, Lee will continue his "Policy Vision Tour" which addresses and emphasizes the public`s needs. Thereby, Lee intends to highlight himself as the only candidate eligible to realize the new politics.

Lee also plans to widen his contacts with the disadvantaged in society. It is part of his campaign strategies intended to maximize his image of a person who embraces and harmonizes all members of society. All the scheduled activities of Lee can be understood in that context. For example, on Sep. 22, Lee visited Sharlom`s House in Seoul, a facility for accommodation of the handicapped; on Sep. 23, had a luncheon with contracted service-providers and their employees working for his party; and on Sep. 24, will visit the Athletes` Village for participants` in the domestic Paralympics.

Shin Kyung-shik, Lee`s chief campaign strategist said, "We will accommodate renown leaders of society who are not affiliated with our party for now. Then, people will begin to realize the prevalence of Lee in the presidential race, and the idea of `Lee` Prevalence` will get quickly widespread."

▽ Depending everything on TV debate = Millennium Democratic Party`s Presidential Candidate Roh Moo-hyun is counting, in anticipation, the days to the TV debate. During the debate, Roh intends to differentiate himself and put other candidates under harsh scrutiny. Roh believes that the intra-party conflicts would not clam down in the near future, and, thus, he has to find some resources to make up and repair his image damaged through the intra-party dispute.

Roh`s campaign strategists have not drawn a consensus on their main opponent. In the race participated by Roh, Lee and Rep. Chong Mong-jun, they are not sure whom for Roh to defeat to begin with.

Roh`s key brains like Rep. Moon Hee-sang, Rep. Lee Hae-chan and Rep. Lee Kang-rae argue that, for some time, Roh should maintain a friendly relationship with Rep. Chong, and stereotype and isolate Lee as a member of the old-generation politics. On other hand, his young aides contend that in order to secure the firm second position in the race by the middle of October, Roh should concentrate his attacks on Rep. Chong since his supporters partly overlap with those of Roh.

▽ Build up two-men race = For some time to come, Rep. Chong will pitch in his efforts to accelerate the process of creating a new party. Thus, what Rep. Chong eventually intends to is narrow the presidential race to that of two man.

Around Oct. 17, he will hold a ceremony to celebrate the birth of his new party at Choongmoo Stadium in Daejun. To meet the schedule, he will finish up the meeting of founding members by the end of next week, and the structuring of local offices of his party by early next month. He also plans to move in the newly secured headquarters by the end of this month, which is in The Kookmin Daily building located in Yeouido, Seoul .

Especially, in order to widen the new party`s human foundations, Rep. Chong, starting this week, will engage in more contacts with various political fractions including small groups of politicians and some of MDP`s fractions.

In the meanwhile, former Premier Lee Han-dong has been aggressively waging a "promotions" drive to increase his public image. In the process, he visited many facilities for the disadvantaged during the Thanksgiving holidays. At the same time, Lee is trying to secure his supporting grounds within Congress by contacting MDP members and members of United Liberal Democrats in preparation for a primary if a new party is set up and decides to select its presidential candidate through the primary.