Yi Jaemyong is the democratic party candidate (center left). He has a long resume, including serving as a mayor and governor of a major Korean province. He has struggled with rumors of corruption since the beginning of the campaign and he has made several notable gaffes, including blaming Ukraine for being invaded. He has spoken favorably of creating a UBI and increasing public housing to alleviate recent increases in housing prices. Yi is in favor of a balanced foreign policy in which Korea does not upset the status quo economic relations with China or political relations with the US.

Yoon Sukyeol is the People Power Party candidate (center right). He has served as a prosecutor, but is relatively politically inexperienced and is seen as a political outsider. His gaffes are absolutely legendary and his wife has threatened to imprison journalists who cover him badly once he takes power. He is pro-business, favoring the elimination of the 52 hour work week and minimum wage. His rhetoric is pro-US and pro-Japan, and he intends to ask the United States to station nuclear weapons in Korea for defensive purposes. He has been critical of feminism and workers' rights protections implemented by the incumbent president Moon Jaein.