1 in 2 Koreans supports DPK
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Half-naked members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea brave freezing weather to promote the party’s primary, holding panels that read, “Let’s change the government with our own hands” at Haeundae Beach, Busan, Monday. The party will choose its candidate through votes from both party members and private citizens. / Yonhap
By Kim Rahn
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is enjoying ever-growing popularity, gaining the highest approval rating since it was established, mainly due to public disapproval of the conservative Park Geun-hye administration following the corruption scandal involving Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.
Such a high support rate is increasing the chances of its candidate ― whoever it will be ― winnig the presidential election which is likely to take place in the first half of this year.
A poll conducted with 2,521 adults by Realmeter from Feb. 13 to 17 showed Monday that the DPK’s approval rate reached 47.7 percent, a record high since its establishment in 2015.
The party has enjoyed a support rate over 40 percent since December; the last time the DPK or its predecessors reached such a rating was in 1998 when former President Kim Dae-jung was inaugurated.
It has widened the gap with the runner-up: the ruling Liberty Korea Party garnered 15.1 percent, followed by the minor opposition People’s Party, 11.5 percent, the minor conservative Bareun Party, 5.6 percent, and the minor progressive Justice Party, 5.4 percent.
“The high popularity of the DPK reflects citizens’ desire to change political power amid the ongoing corruption scandal and the President’s impeachment,” the poll agency said.
The scandal has made many conservatives withdraw their support for the ruling party which the President belongs to: a December poll showed 65 percent of the people wanted the liberal bloc to take power in the next administration.
The high approval ratings of the DPK’s two potential contenders ― former party leader Moon Jae-in and South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung who rank first and second among all candidates, respectively ― have also pulled up the party’s support rate, the poll agency said.
“Public attention has been on the DPK which is starting a full-scale competition between Moon and An. DPK fans’ support was also consolidated along with the arrest of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong who was involved in the scandal.”
While the average support rating for DPK during last week was 47.7 percent, the figure rose to 51.8 percent on the single day of Feb. 17 when Lee was put behind bars for allegedly bribing the President.
In the poll, Moon gained 32.5 percent while An had 20.4 percent. They were followed by acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn with 14.8 percent, Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party, 8.8 percent, Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung also from the DPK, 8.1 percent, and Rep. Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party, 3.9 percent.
The combined rating of the top three DPK presidential hopefuls ― Moon, An and Lee ― was 61 percent, a record high as well. With no strong hopeful from the conservative bloc, the chance of a DPK candidate’s election victory is very high for now.