No win in sight, but minor candidates hang on

Citizens pass by a display of presidential campaign posters in central Seoul, on Sunday. From left: Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party; Kim Moon-soo of the major conservative People Power Party; Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party; Kwon Young-guk of the Democratic Labor Party; Koo Ju-hwa of the Liberty Unification Party; Hwang Kyo-ahn, an independent; and Song Jin-ho, an independent. (Yonhap)

Minor presidential hopefuls including Kwon Young-guk of the Democratic Labor Party and Song Jin-ho, an independent, are set to appear on the final ballot in Tuesday’s election — despite polling in the low single digits and holding little prospect of victory.

Kwon, an engineer-turned-human rights lawyer, is better known for his legal advocacy than for his political profile. Nicknamed the “street lawyer,” he has represented victims in some of South Korea’s most high-profile labor disputes and civil tragedies — including the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, which killed over 300 people, most of them high school students. His campaign, backed by a coalition of progressive civic groups, centers on labor rights and corporate accountability. A recent Realmeter poll placed his support at 1.6 percent.

Song, head of the Global Data Asset Cooperative, has focused his campaign on revitalizing the digital asset industry and advocating for the country’s 15.6 million retail investors. In a May 19 televised debate for non-mainstream candidates, he challenged then-candidate Hwang Kyo-ahn over election fraud claims, anti-China rhetoric and calls to dismantle the National Election Commission — calling such proposals discriminatory and extreme. Song currently polls at 0.3 percent, according to the same Realmeter survey.

Originally, seven candidates registered for the race. Koo Ju-hwa of the Liberty Unification Party withdrew before early voting began, and Hwang Kyo-ahn, also an independent, dropped out Sunday — both endorsing Kim in a bid to consolidate conservative support.

Now, five remain: Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party; Kim Moon-soo of the major conservative People Power Party; Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party; Kwon of the Democratic Labor Party; and Song, an independent.

To appear on the ballot, each candidate must pay a 300 million won ($218,000) deposit. Those earning at least 15 percent of the vote are fully reimbursed for both the deposit and campaign expenses. Candidates receiving between 10 and 15 percent are eligible for a 50 percent refund.