SEOUL ¨C South Korea¡¯s presidential candidates formally began campaigning Tuesday in what is set to be the tightest race in 20 years between the country¡¯s two main parties, dominated by scandals that have allowed a third challenger to potentially play the role of kingmaker.
Polls say voters are looking for a president who can clean up polarized politics and corruption, and tackle the runaway housing prices and deepening inequality that have dogged Asia¡¯s fourth-largest economy.
Curbing North Korea¡¯s weapons tests and resuming talks would be a plus, but even a record month of missile testing by Pyongyang in January hasn¡¯t made foreign policy a key issue for the March 9 vote in South Korea.
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