LKP leader takes lead in poll of presidential candidates

LKP leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, left, waves his hands during the party's street campaign for support of its candidate Kang Ki-yoon in Changwon, Tuesday, on the eve of a by-election. Yonhap

By Kim Yoo-chul

The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Hwang Kyo-ahn, maintained a clear lead in the latest opinion poll of next presidential candidates, a pollster said Tuesday.

Realmeter's survey of 2,516 adults nationwide from March 25 to 29 found that the preference rate for the LKP leader rose 3.3 percentage points from the previous month to 21.2 percent, helping the former prime minister continue his lead for three straight months.

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon earned 14.9 percent, up 3.4 percentage points, Realmeter said, noting it is the first time Hwang has exceeded 20 percent in the survey.

Rhyu Si-min, a liberal politician-turned-writer and head of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, was third with 12 percent, down 1.2 percentage points. Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung was at 7.1 percent, down 0.5 percentage points from the previous month, helping him secure the No. 4 spot, the pollster said.

Hwang, who served as prime minister from 2015 to 2017, increased his preference rate among people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and older. He also won more support from people excluding those in Gwangju Metropolitan City in Jeolla, Realmeter said.

Prime Minister Lee, who served as governor of South Jeolla Province before taking his current role in 2017, secured solid support from the Jeolla provinces, South Gyeongsang Province, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, but lost ground among people in their 50s and older, the pollster said.

As the Hwang-Lee rivalry continues, other politicians failed to increase their popularity rate.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon maintained 5.9 percent, down 0.5 percentage points from a month earlier, giving him fifth spot with South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyung-soo.

The survey was conducted at the request of online news website OhmyNews. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points and a confidence level of 95 percent.