Candidate Registration for Pres. Election Begins

Candidate registration for the special presidential election on May ninth began Saturday.

People's Party presidential hopeful Ahn Cheol-soo visited the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and registered. He said he'll win for the Korean public by any means.

Justice Party's Sim Sang-jeung, Democratic Party's Moon Jae-in and Liberty Korea Party's Hong Joon-pyo had their aides register for them.

Moon Jae-in, one of the two leaders in the polls along with Ahn, said in a statement the Republic of Korea has begun a new history, and he asked voters to help him realize a transfer in power.

Conservative candidate Hong Joon-pyo said the upcoming election is a battle to defend a free South Korea. Hong stressed he should be elected for his strong views on national security.

Yoo Seong-min of the splinter conservative Bareun Party registered his candidacy later in the day. He said he will try his best to offer a new hope for the conservatives. 

Justice Party's Sim said in a news conference after registration that she will become a president who changes the public's lives with unimpeded reforms.  

Following the two-day registration, the official campaign period will begin Monday and last through May eighth, the day before the election.