By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

With the April 9 National Assembly elections approaching, voters in their 40s, who withdrew their support from the governing Grand National Party (GNP), are behind the increasing number of undecided voters.

Public opinion polls found an unusual trend in the population of undecided voters ― the rate has risen from 26.1 percent in February to 41.2 percent in March in a Chosun Ilbo newspaper poll.

Pollsters said that they were supporters of President Lee Myung-bak who withdrew their support of the governing GNP after the nomination fiasco involving certain Cabinet ministers.

The results show stark contrast to the conventional wisdom of undecided voters tending to decrease as election day approaches.

The Chosun Ilbo survey showed 19.5 percent of 40-something voters withdrawing support for their candidate.

About 60 percent of them are former GNP supporters.

The poll said 16.8 percent of voters in their 30's changed their minds.

Given that the combined population of voters in their 30s and 40s accounts for about 45 percent of total registered voters, their votes will have a considerable effect on election results. In the meantime, they are still waiting to decide who to vote for in the upcoming election.

Political consultant Park Sung-min said undecided voters were ``confused'' since they failed to look at alternative parties.

Regarding these voters' choices, pollster Han Gui-young of the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) said, ``Although the GNP's support is much higher than that of any other party in most polls, voters' preferences of the governing party seemed not to have a direct effect on their choices for lawmakers in their districts,'' she said.

``In fact, voters are more interested in the qualification of candidates, rather than their preferred party.''

Low Voter Turnout Likely

A public opinion survey conducted by the National Election Commission (NEC) on March 21 indicated that record-low voter turnout is likely for Wednesday's elections.

Only 51.9 percent of respondents said they would vote, indicating voter turnout is likely to be the lowest ever.

Pollster Han of the KSOI said it is difficult to predict which party would benefit most from the low turnout, which was 63.9 percent in the 1996 elections and 57.2 percent in the 2000. Participation was slightly higher in 2004 at 60.6 percent.

Pollsters interpreted the backlash against the contentious presidential impeachment had motivated many voters to show up in 2004 to vote against the then-main opposition GNP.

They said it would be difficult to have high voter turnout in the upcoming elections as there are few outstanding issues that interested voters this time.

North Korea Factor

Pyongyang has been engaged in a series of accusations against President Lee since last week and even threatened Seoul with military action.

President Lee urged the North to calm down and find a mutually beneficial solution instead of bickering.

Amid the security standoff ahead of the April 9 elections, veteran politicians have expressed skepticism toward the possible impact of escalating tensions.

On the occasion of the opening of the Asia Society Korea Center, former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo told reporters that the North Korea would not have a profound effect on the elections.

``South Koreans are no longer interested in Pyongyang, mainly because the North typically uses such tactics before elections,'' he said.

The former prime minister added people here would be neither intimidated nor threatened by the North.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr