Presidential candidates running in the 21st presidential election will hold their first TV debate on the evening of the 18th.

On the second day of the official campaign for the election of the 21st president on the 13th, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea (from left in the photo), is holding a concentrated campaign in Dongseongro, Daegu, while Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is campaigning in Sinjeong Market, Nam-gu, Ulsan. Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the Reform Party, is campaigning at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, and Kwon Young-guk, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, is focusing on campaigning near Sungshin Women's University Station in Seoul. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

Lee Jae-myung from the Democratic Party of Korea, Kim Moon-soo from the People Power Party, Lee Jun-seok from the Reform Party, and Kwon Young-guk from the Democratic Labor Party are scheduled to discuss economic issues during the TV debate held at 8 p.m. at the SBS studio in Sangam-dong, Seoul.

The upcoming TV debate will be organized by the National Election Commission and is expected to last for two hours.

The candidates will first discuss the topic 'Ways to overcome low growth and revitalize the people's economy' using a total time system. The total time system refers to a format where each candidate is allocated 6 minutes and 30 seconds.

Following that, a pledge verification debate will continue on two topics: 'Trade strategies in the Trump era' and 'Ways to enhance national competitiveness.'

Lee Jae-myung, who is leading in recent opinion polls, is expected to adopt a strategy to minimize errors and emphasize the image of a prepared president.

Kim Moon-soo is expected to criticize Lee Jae-myung's pledges, such as local currency, as 'populism,' while emphasizing ways to maximize the autonomy and creativity of corporations.

Lee Jun-seok is expected to attack Lee Jae-myung's populist policies as well as the economic failures of the Yoon Seok-youl administration. Kwon Young-guk is likely to highlight issues such as reducing inequality.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidates minimized their official schedules on this Sunday and began preparing for the debate.

Lee Jae-myung and Lee Jun-seok are expected to prepare for the debate after attending the 45th anniversary commemorative ceremony for the May 18 Democratic Movement in Gwangju. Kim is preparing for the debate after presenting economic pledges at the party's headquarters in Yeouido in the morning.

The TV debates involving the presidential candidates are scheduled to be held again on the 23rd (social issues) and 27th (politics) at the same time.