South Korean presidential hopefuls begin official campaigns

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Candidates for South Korea’s presidential election began their formal, 22-day campaigns Tuesday in a race tainted by intense political strife over allegations involving the main candidates and their families. Liberal governing party candidate Lee Jae-myung and his conservative opposition rival Yoon Suk Yeol are the major candidates, though both have been criticized as lacking clear strategies on foreign policy and other challenges while instead focusing on negative campaigns to attack each other. Lee has faced an allegation that he was involved in a dubious property development project launched when he was a city mayor. Yoon, for his part, has faced an allegation that he resorted to shamanism. The winner is to be inaugurated May 10 for a single five-year term.