Ex-PM Kim leads former DPK leaders in party leadership race: poll
This composite image shows three candidates in the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's leadership race. From left, Song Young-gil, Jung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok hold their third debate in Gwangju, Monday, ahead of the party convention set for Aug. 17 to elect the new party leadership. Yonhap
Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is leading his rivals by double digits ahead of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s national convention slated for next week, a poll showed Tuesday.
The Realmeter survey showed that 46.8 percent favored Kim for the party's next leader, followed by former DPK leaders Jung Chung-rae and Song Young-gil at 35.2 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively.
The remaining 11.5 percent of respondents said they did not favor any of the candidates or were undecided.
Kim was also the most preferred candidate among dues-paying party members with 51.8 percent, followed by Jung at 41.1 percent and Song at 4.7 percent.
His lead was more pronounced in the DPK's traditional stronghold of the southwestern Honam region, where he received 57.7 percent support, compared with 28.2 percent for Jung and 6.8 percent for Song.
Kim and Jung were in a tighter race in Seoul, with Kim still ahead at 39.9 percent and Jung trailing with 34.5 percent. Song stood at 5.1 percent.
The survey was conducted on Sunday and Monday on 1,053 DPK supporters and those with no party affiliation. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
The DPK is set to hold the national convention on Monday to elect its new leader, who will play a key role in overseeing the nomination of candidates for the parliamentary elections in April 2028.