Prosecutor general's popularity disliked by both parties
Wreathes showing support for Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl stand on the road in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul, Oct. 29. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han
By Jung Da-min
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl / Korea Times file
Neither the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) nor the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) seem happy about the rising political influence of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, as he has been at odds with past administrations and is still at odds with the current leadership.
Yoon recently topped a public opinion survey of potential presidential candidates for the first time, garnering more support than DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon and Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, according to ocal pollster Hangil Research, Wednesday.
Chairman Lee and Governor Lee, both from the ruling party, had been very close in previous polls when Yoon had been far behind, but support for Yoon has been increasing in recent weeks.
According to the Hangil Research survey of 1,022 adults, 24.7 percent said they supported Yoon, who was followed by Chairman Lee at 22.2 percent and Governor Lee at 18.4 percent.
Although the gap between the support rates for Yoon and Chairman Lee was only 2.5 percentage points, the result drew attention as it was the first time for Yoon to top a survey of prospective presidential candidates.
The pollster said Yoon's popularity was especially high among supporters of the PPP.
Yoon's rising popularity, however, is not being welcomed by either of the main two parties.
For the DPK, the situation is unfavorable as Yoon has become a symbolic figure who stands up to the Moon Jae-in government's drive to reform the prosecution, following a series of power struggles with Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae.
As Yoon and Choo have often clashed over controversies related to the prosecution, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun even publicly called on both Yoon and Choo to refrain from creating political strife and to behave themselves in accordance with their posts as high-ranking officials, during a press conference on Tuesday. Despite Chung's warning, Choo continued criticizing Yoon, saying at the National Assembly session on Wednesday that Yoon should step down as he failed to remain politically neutral and abused his power to raise his political influence.
Although Yoon is a figure symbolizing opposition to the Moon Jae-in administration, his rising popularity is not welcomed by the PPP, as he is likely to upstage any potential presidential candidates they put forward.
In the Hangil Research poll, Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, former head of the Liberty Korea Party, a predecessor of the PPP, gained 5.6 percent support, and Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the minor opposition People Party, 4.2 percent.
Yoon was also at odds with the PPP because he led investigations into former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, who were both from the conservative party.