More Korean voters balk at choosing presidential candidates

People cross the road in the Gwanghwamun area of Seoul's Jongno District, Friday. With less than three months to go before the next presidential election slated for March 9, the percentage of voters who do not support any candidate is growing, according to recent opinion polls. Yonhap

Centrists on the rise amid negative campaigns, family issues

By Jung Da-min

With less than three months to go, the upcoming president election has become even more unpredictable as more Koreans are either delaying their decisions or withdrawing their earlier support for a preferred candidate following an onslaught of mudslinging by the two major parties.

Amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, voters want to see more policy discussions focused on how to address economic and social issues related to their lives, but those agendas have been buried under negative campaigning and issues associated with illegal behavior involving the candidates and their family members.

Admitting the ongoing trend is unprecedented in the history of the nation's presidential elections, political watchers are warning that if such "bad" campaigning continues, along with little possibility of a third candidate emerging, more centrists or swing voters could feel reluctant to participate in the election slated for March 9.

According to the most recent survey of 1,000 adults conducted by local pollster Gallup Korea from Dec. 14 to 16, about 16 percent of respondents said they did not support any of four presidential candidates ― Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK); Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition conservative People Power Party (PPP); Rep. Sim Sang-jeung of the minor opposition progressive Justice Party; and Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition conservative People's Party.

In previous polls conducted from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 and Nov. 16 to 18, those who said they did not support any candidate recorded 15 percent and 14 percent, respectively, but this has increased by two percentage points over the past six weeks.

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Three presidential candidates attend a memorial ceremony for independent activist Yun Bong-gil held at Hyochang Park in Seoul's Yongsan District, Sunday. From left are Rep. Sim Sang-jeung of the minor opposition progressive Justice Party, Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition conservative People Power Party and Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea. Joint Press Corps

Lee took the lead in the latest poll with support of 36 percent, the same as in a previous poll, while Yoon ranked second with 35 percent, down 1 percentage point from the previous survey. But the support rates of the two main candidates have been continuously turning over in the polls including ones run by Gallup. Both Lee and Yoon are failing to find a breakthrough to win more public support, while both of them are embroiled in scandals surrounding corruption or illegal activities by their family members.

Lee has been in hot water over accusations made against his son of illegal gambling and visits to a massage parlor that provided prostitutes. Lee immediately admitted the allegations regarding his son's gambling and apologized for them, but denied the allegations that his son was involved in prostitution.

From Yoon's side, his wife Kim Keon-hee has been criticized for falsifying her qualifications when applying for visiting professor positions at local universities. Yoon and Kim have denied the accusations citing "customary behavior," but apologized for causing a controversy. Their reluctant apologies, however, have brought about further criticism that Yoon's use of "justice and fairness" as his campaign slogan to call for leadership change is hypocritical.

Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said that the fierce negative campaigns by the rival parties against each other and continuous scandals surrounding the candidates and their family members reflect the extreme polarization of the country's liberal and conservative blocs, and this could push more centrists or swing voters to feel reluctant to participate in the presidential race.

"The presidential election is approaching but the scandals and allegations raised against the rival candidates of the two major parties have to yet to be cleared up. Such a situation could discourage more centrists or swing voters from participating in the election," Cha said. "In the meantime, the supporters of the rival blocs could unite more internally, strengthening their attacks against each other, thinking they have to win this battle or they will lose everything if the opposing candidate becomes the next president."

Ahn Cheol-soo, presidential candidate and leader of the minor opposition conservative People's Party hold a press conference at the National Assembly on Seoul's Yeouido, Sunday, to propose the formation of an independent committee composed of members recommended by the political parties, academic organizations and media to verify the qualifications of the presidential candidates. Joint Press Corps

Cha said the extreme polarization of the politics and solidification of both the country's liberal and conservative blocs are attributable to the country's single five-year term presidential system, under which more power is concentrated in the presidency. When one side takes power, the other side is often subject to political retaliation, which has brought about a vicious cycle of political polarization and retaliation, he said.

The professor also warned that if not enough centrists or swing voters cast their votes in the election, the next president is likely to lack legitimacy, while further conflicts are likely to continue between the rival blocs in its aftermath.

As the scandals surrounding the two main candidates have not been clarified, Ahn of the minor conservative People's Party held a press conference at the National Assembly, Sunday, where he proposed the formation of an independent committee composed of members recommended by the political parties, academic organizations and media to verify the qualifications of all the presidential candidates.