3 pres. candidates to present policy visions in campaigns

Korea`s Chuseok (Full Moon Harvest) holidays are over and just 78 days remain before the December presidential election. With the real competition about to begin, all three candidates are finalizing their strategies this month to successfully undergo screening and avoid any mistake that could prove critical.

Park Geun-hye, the standard-bearer of the ruling Saenuri Party, will seek to build an image of a “prepared president” with a series of policy announcements for a month with a “smart new deal policy” on creating jobs and growth momentum. She will continue efforts to unite the country by selecting the chairman of a national integration committee and visiting the relatives of the victims of past political debacles. Her camp will focus on bashing independent rival Ahn Cheol-soo in the wake of heavy media grilling of Ahn.

Moon Jae-in, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic United Party, will bring in new liberal and moderate figures to his camp, which will be formed this week, and push for political reform. He will announce his five visions: job revolution, welfare state, economic democratization, new politics, and peace and co-existence. Moon will accelerate his bid to convince the people on the need to unify the opposition`s candidate, stressing that policies are more likely to be materialized if based on one party.

Independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo will stress policy competition this month with a goal to release a state affairs management vision early month. He is expected to continue a tripartite meeting to overcome offensives and encourage policy competition. While trying to present himself as representing the opposition camp by winning over voters in the Jeolla provinces, he will hit the road for a nationwide tour to learn about the people`s job situation and lay the groundwork for national integration.

ditto@donga.com