South Korea's Election Showdown: A Democratic Crossroads

As South Korea's presidential hopefuls wrapped up their campaigns on Monday, the nation stood at a pivotal moment. With the capital Seoul as the battleground, the election was taken against a backdrop of a failed martial law attempt by ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung, leading in the polls, promised to heal the societal divides and focus on economic reforms to assist middle- and low-income families. Meanwhile, conservative challenger Kim Moon-soo called for political reform in the aftermath of Yoon's actions, urging caution against Lee's potential presidency.

The candidates concluded their efforts on Monday night, with a new leader set to assume office immediately after Wednesday's certification. The swift turnover follows the Constitutional Court's April 4 decision to remove Yoon due to significant violations of duty.

(With inputs from agencies.)