Presidential candidates kicked off their official campaigns on Monday for the June 3 vote, putting their top priority on pledges of reviving the nation’s sluggish economy and unifying the polarized society.

Voters will head to the polls early next month to pick a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid, and opinion polls have shown that Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung has kept a solid lead.

Lee is the front-runner, trailed by People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo, former labor minister whose candidacy was confirmed only two days ago after intraparty strife over a possible candidacy merger with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

Lee has sought to woo swing voters with promises to improve the economy and people’s livelihoods, while Kim is expected to unite conservative voters to challenge the DP candidate.

The election is seen as a three-way race among the DP’s Lee, the PPP’s Kim and Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party. So far, Lee Jun-seok, the Harvard University graduate who once served as a leader of the PPP, has ruled out the possibility of merging campaigns with Kim.

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