LKP approval rating surpasses 30 percent

Hwang Kyo-ahn, second from left, chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), speaks during an LKP Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, March 7. The LKP's approval rating rose to 30.4 percent, the highest since October 2016, after the former prime minister under the rule of ousted President Park Geun-hye was elected as the new party leader Feb. 27. Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

The approval rating for the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) continued to rise for the third straight week last week after the party elected a new leadership in late February, a poll showed Monday.

This is the highest support for the LKP since October 2016, when the influence-peddling scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil became public.

According to the poll of 2,518 adults conducted by Realmeter between March 4 and 8, the support rate for the LKP rose 1.6 percent points to 30.4 percent while that of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) dropped 1.1 percent points to 37.2 percent.

The rise is likely attributable to rising expectations for the party's new leadership, the poll agency said, while the party is also benefiting from the recent fruitless summit between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea, nagging concerns about the economy and fine dust air pollution.

On Feb. 27 at the party's national convention, the LKP elected Hwang Kyo-ahn, former prime minister for impeached former President Park Geun-hye, as its new chairman, ending a seven-month leadership vacuum. The election came 43 days after he joined the party.

Since U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended their second summit on Feb. 27 and 28 in Hanoi without any agreement, media reports on the possible resumption of North Korea's missile testing have increased.

The U.S. government has maintained a wait-and-see attitude, with Trump saying he would be “very disappointed” if the reports turn out to be true.

Meanwhile, President Moon Jae-in's approval rating dropped for the second straight week to 46.3 percent last week, down 3.1 percentage points from the previous week.

The LKP's approval rating has risen in Busan, South Gyeongsang Province and Chungcheong Province and in the 30s and 50s age demographics. Approval has dropped in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province and Seoul, and in the 20s and over 60s age demographics.

The minor progressive Justice Party garnered support of 7 percent, while the minor conservative Bareunmirae Party won 6.2 percent and the Party for Democracy and Peace, 2.1 percent.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.0 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level.