South KoreaThe leading presidential hopes trafficked in the first television debate on Sunday as the country prepared for volleyball 3. June after Impecija former leader Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed offer for imposed Martial Law.
Lee Jae Myung, a candidate for a liberal-democratic party And the current Frontrunner, used a stage for disposing of the expansive vision of politics, including major investments in artificial intelligence, work protection and economic self-confidence. His main rival, Kim Moon SOO of Conservative People Power Party focused on creation of new jobs, deregulation and the strengthening of the country of land with the USA.
The debate took place against the background of Political instability and economic insecurity. The National Economy has reduced in the first quarter of this year, interfered with the culverted export and weakened domestic consumption.
The decline agreed the newly imposed tariffs from Washingtonpart of the wider push of the US president Donald Trump To reduce the imbalances of trade with allied nations, including South Korea And Japan.
Addressing these concerns, Mr. Lee claimed for attentive, and the interest rate first approach in navigation SeoulTrade relations with Washington. “We should not go to our alliance with the US,” he said, emphasizing that while security cooperation with Washington and Tokyo remained vital, Seoul must also manage relationships China And Russia.
“It should not be rushed to the trade agreement. We must prepare delicately and competently,” he said.
59-year-old, which has a consistent research of opinions with 51 percent support according to Gallup Korea, advocated a strong economic transformation through high-tech investment. Payed 100 trillion won (56 billion pounds) to develop “sovereign Ai“In order to provide southern Koreans free access to domestic tool equivalents such as Chatgpt.
“We will focus on the development of the so-called sovereign AI, so our people can at least use something like Chatgpt’s free like an electronic calculator,” Mr. Lee said.
He also promised to introduce a working week with four and a half days, to provide tax reliefs for the production of domestic semiconductors, and the green industry jackets as a route to continuous growth. “We must nurture the high-tech and renewable energy industry to overcome low economic growth,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Lee called for constitutional reform to enable two presidential agents of four years and two-round voting system, replacing the current individual five-year term.
He also promised to diminish the power of the president to say the martiality law.
Mr. Kim, who complained of conservative voters and companies in surveys with 29 percent, promising deregulation and pro-market reform.
He proposed to establish a dedicated government agency to simplify regulations and said that over five percent of the budget would be intended for research and development.
Solving military and external policy, g. Kim said he was willing to increase the share in South Korea on the cost of stationing American soldiers in the East Asian country, a sensitive issue that gained renewed attention as part of the terrible negotiation strategy for the Turific side Mr. Trump. About 28,500 US soldiers based in South Korea, their presence considered buffer against North KoreaNuclear threat.
“People are nervous if Trump President says we raise [South Korea’s] The share of the US Army in South Korea and I believe we can collect it to some extent, “Mr. Kim said during the meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce Korea.
He added that it would ensure that the continuous presence of US forces should be a priority not only for Washington, but also for SEUL.
Since the early 1990s, South Korea shared the cost of deploying American troops to its soil, financing local salaries, logistics and infrastructure.
The existing contract, signed last October, committed Seoul to 8.3 percent, in his contribution, in the amount of 1.52 trillion won (£ 850m) per year.
South Korean officials insisted that the contract was not open for a re-application, pushing back against efforts to connect to trade negotiations.
Despite the heated exchanges, the presidential hearing marked a relatively essential tone, and both candidates offer contrast visions on how to restore economic momentum and protect strategic interests in more and more multi-calendar power plants.
The upcoming elections, launched the dramatic confiscation of Mr. Yoon last month, comes into a key moment for South Korea, a technological power plant and a world tenth economy. With shaken credibility and external pressures, the next president will be in charge of navigating not only by fragile recovery, but also moving geopolitical tides.