Updated Apr.16,2009 12:51 KST

Campaigning Begins for By-elections
The official campaign for the April 29 re- and by-elections kicked off on Thursday. For the next 13 days, candidates will be engaged in fierce competition in 16 electoral districts across the country, five of them for seats in the National Assembly. The rest are for a mayoral post, local assemblymen and educational superintendents.

Ruling and opposition parties are expected to clash over several issues including the latest bribery scandal involving former President Roh Moo-hyun as well as the government's handling of the repercussions of the global economic crisis.

Arirang News