KT Poll Shows 39% Want MDP, Uri to Join Forces


By Yoo Dong-ho
Staff Reporter
A majority of people expect the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) to gain the most seats in the April 15 general elections.

About one in five would vote for the GNP, if the elections were held today.

However, should the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), which currently has the second largest number of seats in the Assembly, and the pro-government Uri Party come up with joint candidates, 38.5 percent of prospective voters say they would vote for them, while the GNP would get 27 percent.

Half cite the economy as the top priority for newly elected lawmakers, while 31 percent selected political reforms.

In the survey, conducted by Media Research on behalf of The Korea Times and Hankook Ilbo over last weekend, the MDP and the Uri Party would only obtain the support of 14.3 and 13.5 percent, respectively, if they fail to run joint candidates. About 21 percent said that they would vote for GNP.

A total of 1,002 adults participated in the survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

However, nearly half of those who were surveyed were either undecided or said that they would vote for candidates with no partisan affiliation.

When polled for their opinion about what will be the key factor determining the outcome of the elections, about 60 percent preferred young and reform-minded candidates. About 20 percent cited the outcome of a special prosecutor probe into allegations of corruption involving President Roh Moo-hyun and prosecutors’ investigations into the illegal campaign funding scandal.

Regarding the standards by which they would pick their candidates, more than 40 percent cited the level of morality, while 22 percent opted for reform-mindedness.

The survey found that three in five objected to using the outcome of the elections as a confidence vote on President Roh. Chong Wa Dae officials hinted that the elections may be used as such, now that the opposition parties’ reluctance blocks a national referendum asking the people whether they still want Roh to remain as head of state.

On the idea of having one voter cast two ballots _ one for their favorite candidate and the other for the party _ 42 percent said that their votes would go to their party of choice and its candidate. About the same number said that they would split their votes. The total number of votes each party gets would determine the number of seats it receives.

Asked how they assess the performance of the outgoing 16th National Assembly, an overwhelming 84 percent said it didn’t perform well. Reflecting their disappointment, about 60 percent said that they would not vote for incumbents.

yoodh@koreatimes.co.kr