Presidential candidates enter final full week of campaigning

Presidential candidates on Monday kicked off their final full week of campaigning with polls still indicating a dead heat between ruling party nominee Lee Jae-myung and main opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol.

Lee of the liberal Democratic Party is set to meet with voters in the southeastern region of the country, including in Pohang, Gyeongju and Daegu, as he seeks to woo the traditionally conservative base.

In the evening, he is scheduled to visit his hometown of Andong to rally voters there.

Yoon of the conservative People Power Party will travel across the northeastern Gangwon Province, with stops in Donghae, Gangneung, Sokcho, Hongcheon and Chuncheon.

Ahn Cheol-soo, the candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, is scheduled to campaign in cities in the liberal stronghold of North Jeolla Province.

Yoon and Ahn have been under pressure from conservatives to merge their candidacies and boost the opposition's chances of winning against Lee.

On Sunday, Yoon told a press conference the two campaigns were near a deal but Ahn backed out. Ahn retorted that Yoon's side had nothing new to propose.

Meanwhile, Sim Sang-jeung, the candidate of the minor progressive Justice Party, will be in Gangwon Province on Monday to meet with voters in Gangneung and Chuncheon.

Monday is the last day of voting for overseas Koreans. Tuesday will mark the start of voting for sailors aboard their ships. Early voting will kick off Friday for two days across the nation.

Election Day is March 9. (Yonhap)