Latest news with #Realmeter
Korea Herald
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Over 58% of people expect Lee to do well on state affairs
Nearly six out of ten South Koreans expected President Lee Jae-myung to do well on state affairs, a survey showed Monday. In a Realmeter survey conducted on 1,012 adults last Wednesday and Thursday, 58.2 percent of respondents said they expected Lee to perform well on state affairs. In contrast, 35.5 percent said he would not perform well, the survey showed. The remaining 6.3 percent said they were unsure. The approval rating for the ruling Democratic Party rose to 48 percent, up 1.2 percentage points from the previous week. The People Power Party saw its approval rating slip to 34.8 percent, down 0.3 percentage point, widening the gap with the DP to 13.2 percentage points. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Lee took office on June 4 following a snap election triggered by the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
7 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
No win in sight, but minor candidates hang on
Minor presidential hopefuls including Kwon Young-guk of the Democratic Labor Party and Song Jin-ho, an independent, are set to appear on the final ballot in Tuesday's election — despite polling in the low single digits and holding little prospect of victory. Kwon, an engineer-turned-human rights lawyer, is better known for his legal advocacy than for his political profile. Nicknamed the 'street lawyer,' he has represented victims in some of South Korea's most high-profile labor disputes and civil tragedies — including the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, which killed over 300 people, most of them high school students. His campaign, backed by a coalition of progressive civic groups, centers on labor rights and corporate accountability. A recent Realmeter poll placed his support at 1.6 percent. Song, head of the Global Data Asset Cooperative, has focused his campaign on revitalizing the digital asset industry and advocating for the country's 15.6 million retail investors. In a May 19 televised debate for non-mainstream candidates, he challenged then-candidate Hwang Kyo-ahn over election fraud claims, anti-China rhetoric and calls to dismantle the National Election Commission — calling such proposals discriminatory and extreme. Song currently polls at 0.3 percent, according to the same Realmeter survey. Originally, seven candidates registered for the race. Koo Ju-hwa of the Liberty Unification Party withdrew before early voting began, and Hwang Kyo-ahn, also an independent, dropped out Sunday — both endorsing Kim in a bid to consolidate conservative support. Now, five remain: Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party; Kim Moon-soo of the major conservative People Power Party; Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party; Kwon of the Democratic Labor Party; and Song, an independent. To appear on the ballot, each candidate must pay a 300 million won ($218,000) deposit. Those earning at least 15 percent of the vote are fully reimbursed for both the deposit and campaign expenses. Candidates receiving between 10 and 15 percent are eligible for a 50 percent refund.
![[Who's Ahead] Lee rebounds, extends double-digit lead over Kim](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F05%2F28%2Fnews-p.v1.20250528.ada988b462d84348a7d14df10936d1cb_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Korea Herald
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Who's Ahead] Lee rebounds, extends double-digit lead over Kim
The Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, reversed his slide a week before the election, widening his lead over conservative rival Kim Moon-soo back into double digits, poll results showed Wednesday. Lee Jae-myung garnered 49.2 percent support, while Kim of the conservative People Power Party received 36.8 percent. Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party secured 10.3 percent, according to a poll conducted by local pollster Realmeter on 1,003 eligible voters aged 18 and older from Monday to Tuesday — the final days on which polling was permitted ahead of the June 3 presidential election. Lee Jae-myung's approval rating had been on a downward trend since Kim was finalized as the candidate of the People Power Party, marking 50.2 percent, 48.1 percent and 46.6 percent in polls released on May 19, 22 and 24, respectively, by the same company. By contrast, Kim peaked at 38.6 percent in the May 22 poll, which was conducted after the first televised debate on May 18, but his support has been continuously ebbing since then. The gap between Lee and Kim during that period narrowed from 14.6 to 9.5 and then to 9 percentage points. However, Wednesday's poll shows the gap widening again to 12.4 percentage points. Kim's approval rate was affected by 'both consolidation and division within the conservative camp,' according to Realmeter's analysis. 'Former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye declared their support for him, while figures like Han Dong-hoon called for breaking away from the entrenched pro-Yoon establishment politics, and Lee Jun-seok refused to merge candidacies,' the analysis read. The poll results indicate some defections among Lee Jun-seok's supporters in their 20s and among students, with his support having been on an upward trajectory until peaking at 10.4 percent in the poll released on May 24. Support for Lee Jun-seok among moderate voters was on an upward trend, rising from 12.6 percent to 13.3, 14.6 and 15.1 percent in polls released on May 19, 22, 24 and Wednesday. During the same period, Lee Jae-myung's support among middle-of-the-road voters stood at 53.3, 50.4, 48.4 and 50.8 percent, while Kim's favorability in the moderate bloc recorded 30.0, 30.9, 32.4 and 30.8 percent — reflecting a rebound for Lee and a slight dip for Kim this week. Observers underscored the importance of Kim's efforts to appeal to moderate voters. 'We need to clearly understand what moderate voters want and offer a message that resonates with them," said Jung Youn-kuk, former presidential spokesperson for Park and public relations adviser to the People Power Party's election committee, during an interview with local broadcaster YTN on Wednesday. Bae Jong-ho, public relations adviser to the Democratic Party's election committee, said during the same interview, "Rallying the conservative base is a necessary condition, but it's not a sufficient one" for Kim to win the election. Bae also predicted that Lee Jun-seok's decision during the last televised presidential debate on Tuesday to refer explicitly to misogynistic and sexually violent online comments allegedly made by Lee Jae-myung's son could have significant consequences. 'While polling will be blacked out during the final stretch of the campaign, this particular remark could cause certain voter groups — especially those in their 20s and 30s, moderates, and women — to turn their backs on him,' Bae said. "If Lee fails to break through the 10 percent barrier at the election in the end, I believe the gaffe could very well lead to a disappointing result."
![[Who's Ahead] Lee rebounds, reopens double-digit lead over Kim](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F05%2F28%2Fnews-p.v1.20250528.acf8a1eda8c94773bf4f4fdd0ad5e4d8_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Korea Herald
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Who's Ahead] Lee rebounds, reopens double-digit lead over Kim
The Democratic Party's presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, reversed his slide a week before the election, widening his lead over conservative rival Kim Moon-soo back into double digits, poll results showed Wednesday. Lee Jae-myung garnered 49.2 percent support, while Kim of the conservative People Power Party received 36.8 percent. Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party secured 10.3 percent, according to a poll conducted by local pollster Realmeter on 1,003 eligible voters aged 18 and older from Monday to Tuesday — the final days on which polling was permitted ahead of the June 3 presidential election. Lee Jae-myung's approval rating had been on a downward trend since Kim was finalized as the candidate of the People Power Party, marking 50.2 percent, 48.1 percent, and 46.6 percent in polls released on May 19, 22, and 24, respectively, by the same company. Kim, by contrast, peaked at 38.6 percent in the May 22 poll, which was conducted after the first televised debate on May 18, but his support has been continuously ebbing since then. The gap between Lee and Kim during that period narrowed from 14.6 to 9.5 and then to 9 percentage points. However, Wednesday's poll shows the gap widening again to 12.4 percentage points. Kim's approval rate was affected by 'both consolidation and division within the conservative camp,' according to Realmeter's analysis. 'Former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye declared their support for him, while figures like Han Dong-hoon called for breaking away from the entrenched pro-Yoon establishment politics, and Lee Jun-seok refused to merge candidacies,' the analysis read. The poll results indicate some defections among Lee Jun-seok's supporters in their 20s and among students, with his support having been on an upward trajectory until peaking at 10.4 percent in the poll released on May 24. Support for Lee Jun-seok among moderate voters was on an upward trend, rising from 12.6 percent to 13.3, 14.6, and 15.1 percent in polls released on May 19, 22, 24, and Wednesday. During the same period, Lee Jae-myung's support among middle-of-the-road voters stood at 53.3, 50.4, 48.4, and 50.8 percent, while Kim's favorability in the moderate bloc recorded 30.0, 30.9, 32.4, and 30.8 percent — reflecting a rebound for Lee and a slight dip for Kim this week. Observers underscored the importance of Kim's efforts to appeal to moderate voters. 'We need to clearly understand what moderate voters want and offer a message that resonates with them," said Jung Youn-kuk, former presidential spokesperson for Park and public relations adviser to the PPP's election committee, during an interview with local broadcaster YTN on Wednesday. Bae Jong-ho, public relations adviser to the Democratic Party's election committee, said during the same interview, "Rallying the conservative base is a necessary condition, but it's not a sufficient one" for Kim to win the election. Bae also predicted that Lee Jun-seok's decision during the last televised presidential debate on Tuesday to refer explicitly to a misogynistic and sexually violent expression allegedly made by Lee Jae-myung's son could have significant consequences. 'While polling will be blacked out during the final stretch of the campaign, this particular remark could cause certain voter groups — especially those in their 20s and 30s, moderates, and women — to turn their backs on him,' Bae said. "If Lee fails to break through the 10 percent barrier at the election in the end, I believe the gaffe could very well lead to a disappointing result."
Japan Forward
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
South Korea's Presidential Election: Can Kim Moon-soo Overcome the Odds?
With South Korea's presidential election looming, ruling party contender Kim Moon-soo is making a last-ditch effort to turn the tide. On May 11, Kim officially registered as the People Power Party's nominee after a hard-fought primary. His path to candidacy was anything but smooth. He narrowly fended off what seemed to be an internal push by senior lawmakers to unseat him, while coalition talks with former Prime Minister Han Duk-soo fell through. Trailing behind the lead opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung in the national polls, Kim faces an uphill battle. A recent Realmeter survey puts Lee at 50.2%, Kim at 35.6%, and third-party candidate Lee Jun-seok at 8.7%. Kim Moon-soo was born in 1951 in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. In 1970, he entered Seoul National University, where he soon joined a hunger strike demanding an investigation into deteriorating labor conditions in factories. The experience propelled him into South Korea's leftist student movement. Kim speaks at a left-wing organization in October 1988 (©Kim Moon-soo Election Camp) During South Korea's authoritarian era in the 1970s and 80s, Kim emerged as a prominent labor activist. He organized underground unions, championed workers' rights, and took aim at what he viewed as systemic injustice. Twice ejected from university, he dedicated his youth to the labor movement, even serving time in prison for his activism. It would take Kim more than two decades to complete his college degree. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and fading faith in communism, Kim began drifting rightward in the late 1980s. The turning point came after the 1992 general election, when the leftist Minjung Party, which Kim helped found, failed to secure any seats and dissolved. Politically adrift, Kim accepted an offer from then-president Kim Young-sam to join the conservative Democratic Liberal Party in 1994. Since then, Kim has served three terms in the National Assembly and twice as governor of Gyeonggi Province. Kim returned to the national limelight in August 2024 when he was appointed Minister of Employment and Labor under Yoon Suk-yeol's government. Kim sits firm during a plenary session in December 2024, refusing Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo's demand for an apology over the December 3 martial law declaration. (©JTBC Youtube Snapshot) Observers familiar with Kim's political journey note that his conservative convictions have become deeply rooted. "Emerging from the radical left, Kim has established himself as a principled conservative in the ruling party," said former South Korean parliamentarian Min Kyung-wook. "At this point, no one is better suited to carry forward the Yoon administration's commitment to conservatism." In the lead-up to the June election, Min said Kim's key challenge will be "widening his support base and appealing to undecided voters." Kim has unveiled a comprehensive policy agenda covering infrastructure, artificial intelligence, labor, economic reform, and national defense. On the economic front, he pledges to lower corporate and inheritance taxes and establish an agency to carry out regulatory innovation. Labor proposals include introducing flexible working hours through voluntary agreements and expanding labor protections for small businesses. On foreign policy, Kim advocates a pragmatic, national interest–focused approach. He reaffirms the importance of the South Korea-United States alliance and calls for bolstering the country's defense posture. Additionally, he proposes negotiations with Washington to address regional security challenges, including the potential pursuit of nuclear latency capabilities and the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula. Kim rallies supporters at Seoul Station during his presidential campaign. (©Kim Moon-soo Twitter) Lew Seok-choon, a former sociologist at Yonsei University, says this election comes at a critical crossroads. "As illiberal states challenge traditional alliances and Western values, Kim has been steadfast in defending our way of life," Lew said. "Having maintained close ties with Trump's circle, Kim understands the strategic importance of the traditional alliance in countering the North Korea, China, and Russia axis," he added. But while Kim generally backs Yoon's foreign policy, he has shown a willingness to chart his own path. When asked by a Kyodo reporter on May 3 whether he would continue Yoon's approach to Japan, Kim replied: "Japan is our neighbor, but history is baggage we still carry. We need honest dialogue to heal and move forward. Beyond the usual quarrels over the past and Dokdo [Takeshima], there's little reason for conflict." Like most elections in South Korea, the June 3 race will likely hinge on swing voters. For now, polls show a clear advantage for Lee Jae-myung, the former head of the main opposition Democratic Party and ex-Gyeonggi Governor. To close this gap, Kim must expand his reach beyond his ideological stronghold. But for a hardline conservative, that's easier said than done. Forming a coalition appears to be a natural move, yet that option remains uncertain. So far, Lee Jun-seok, the conservative third-party contender, has declined to join hands. Kim at the May 18 presidential debate, flanked by Lee Jun-seok (third from left) and Lee Jae-myung (fourth). (©National Assembly Reporters) Still, many conservatives argue that the current situation differs from when left-leaning Moon Jae In rose to the presidency following the ouster of conservative Park Geun-hye in 2017. Though embattled Yoon was impeached and removed from office, he still commands substantial public support. Even during his impeachment proceedings, his approval rating often hovered over 40%. And Kim is expected to inherit much of that backing. Likewise, the shared urgency among conservatives of different stripes to prevent a liberal victory leaves the possibility of a last-minute unity against Lee. South Korean politics are notoriously unpredictable. And much can happen in the next two weeks. South Korea's Choice of Next Leader Crucial to National Security Lee Jae-myung: Economic Pragmatist in a Shadow of Illiberalism Why the Rise of Lee Jae-myung Is Unnerving Tokyo and Washington Author: Kenji Yoshida
