The results of a public opinion poll released on the 10th show that support for the People Power Party (PPP) has increased, bringing it into a close competition within the margin of error with the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). The poll, conducted by Realmeter at the request of Energy Economy News from the 5th to the 7th, surveyed 1,507 voters aged 18 and over nationwide. It had a confidence level of 95% with a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points. The results showed that support for the PPP was at 42.7%, and for the DPK at 41.0%. Compared to a survey conducted a week earlier, support for the PPP rose by 5.1 percentage points, while the DPK saw a decline of 3.2 percentage points.
Last week, the DPK was leading the PPP by a margin outside the margin of error (6.6 percentage points), but within a week, the gap narrowed to 1.7 percentage points within the margin of error. It is interpreted that this change reflects some public opinion influenced by the court’s decision to cancel President Yoon Suk-yeol’s detention on the 7th.
The survey further detailed regional and demographic support shifts, with the PPP seeing increases in regions such as the Chungcheong area, Busan-Gyeongnam, Honam, Daegu-Gyeongbuk, and Seoul, as well as among women, people aged 70 and over, those in their 50s, people in their 20s, and conservative demographics. Conversely, the DPK saw declines in the Chungcheong area, Busan-Gyeongnam, Daegu-Gyeongbuk, among women, those aged 70 and over, those in their 40s and 60s, and conservatives.
Among those identifying as centrists, 46.5% supported the DPK and 31.1% supported the PPP, with both parties showing minor increases in support within this group compared to the previous week.
In terms of preferences for the next ruling party in the upcoming presidential election, 50.4% supported a regime change led by the opposition, while 44.0% supported the continuation of the incumbent government, with 5.6% unsure. Compared to a week earlier, the preference for regime change decreased by 4.7 percentage points, while the preference for regime continuation increased by 5.0 percentage points. Although the gap was still outside the margin of error at 6.4 percentage points, it had narrowed by approximately 10 percentage points within a week.
Regionally, regime continuation sentiment was stronger in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, while regime change sentiment was stronger in Honam and Incheon-Gyeonggi. In Seoul, Chungcheong, and Busan-Gyeongnam, the opinions were more evenly split.
By age, regime change sentiment was stronger among those in their 30s and 50s, while regime continuation sentiment was stronger among those aged 70 and over. Opinions were evenly split among people in their 20s and 60s.
Based on the parties they support, 90.8% of PPP supporters favored regime continuation, while 96.3% of DPK supporters favored regime change. Among those without a party affiliation, more supported regime change (45.1%) over regime continuation (31.6%).
Ideologically, 76.6% of conservatives supported regime continuation, while 87.3% of progressives supported regime change. Among centrists, regime change sentiment (60.4%) was stronger than regime continuation sentiment (36.4%).
The survey was conducted using automated telephone responses with a response rate of 6.4%. More details can be found on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.