Game changer

The majority of Korean constituents plan to cast their vote based on economy-related campaign pledges made by candidates or parties, a poll conducted by a private think tank showed Sunday.

The Hyundai Research Institute's survey, carried out on 1,007 people nationwide, said 69.8 percent of voters are making decisions based on the kind of promises that could improve the economy and living conditions.

Of the total, only 18.9 percent placed emphasis on foreign affairs and general politics.

In regards to economic pledges, 37.2 percent of the respondents said controlling inflation was a primary concern, followed by 20.6 percent and 15.4 percent, respectively, for job creation and welfare.

Only 14.7 percent of all people polled said economic growth itself was important.

The think tank said that based on the survey, the number of constituents likely to be affected by welfare pledges is not overly high.

"This is in contrast to the priority placed on welfare by all political parties at present," it said.

Inflation control won high marks across all age groups, with people in their 20s and 50s placing importance on job creation.

The latest poll taken ahead of this week's parliamentary elections that will pick the country's 300 lawmakers showed not too many voters believed campaign rhetoric will lead to actual changes.

The think tank said 91.0 percent of those surveyed did not expect welfare related pledges to be respected after the elections. Another 59.6 percent said lawmakers will try to honor their pledges but would fail, with 31.4 percent not hopeful that new lawmakers will keep promises because they were mainly aimed at winning voters.

The latest report, meanwhile, said 73.5 percent of those polled did not think expanded welfare will be possible without raising taxes and issuing fresh state debt. (Yonhap)