South Korea's leading presidential candidates held major campaign rallies on Sunday, making their final appeals to voters just two days before the June 3 snap election that follows months of political turmoil in the country.

The election was called after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office following his controversial declaration of martial law in December 2024.

Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung, currently leading in polls with 49% support according to Gallup, addressed supporters in his hometown of Andong, southeast of Seoul. Lee campaigned on a platform of regional development, promising to address the economic imbalance between the capital and other regions.

"We should not simply seek a regional equal development strategy but rather provide more incentives for non-Seoul regions to support them more," Lee told the crowd while speaking behind bulletproof shields and wearing a bulletproof vest.

The enhanced security measures follow a January 2024 incident when Lee was stabbed in the neck during a campaign event in Busan. He survived the attack but has since increased his personal security.

Meanwhile, conservative People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo, who trails in polls at 35%, campaigned in Suwon in the greater Seoul area. Kim criticized Lee's security protocols, suggesting they indicated authoritarian tendencies.

"Look, I'm not wearing a bulletproof vest, right? But Lee is now even using bulletproof shields, feeling the vest isn't enough," Kim said. "With such bulletproof measures, Lee is poised to impose his own dictatorship, and we must stop it."

Political Turmoil and Transition

The upcoming election marks the end of a turbulent period in South Korean politics that began with President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in December, which led to his impeachment and removal from office.

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been serving as acting president during the transition period until the new leader is elected.

According to the National Election Commission, early voting has been robust, with nearly 35% of eligible voters having already cast their ballots ahead of the June 3 election day.

The election comes at a critical time for South Korea, as the country seeks to restore political stability following the constitutional crisis triggered by Yoon's actions last December.