April 08, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Grand National Party (GNP) heads to tomorrow’s legislative ballot in South Korea as the favourite, according to a poll by Gallup Korea published in Chosun Ilbo. 42.1 per cent of respondents would vote for the conservative GNP in the election.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Grand National Party (GNP) heads to tomorrow’s legislative ballot in South Korea as the favourite, according to a poll by Gallup Korea published in Chosun Ilbo. 42.1 per cent of respondents would vote for the conservative GNP in the election.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) is a distant second with 14.5 per cent, followed by the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) with 6.1 per cent, the Pro-Park Geun-hye coalition with 4.4 per cent, the Renewal of Korea Party (RKP) with 3.6 per cent, the Liberty Forward Party (LFP) with 2.8 per cent, and the New Progressive Party (NPP) with one per cent.

In December 2007, GNP candidate Lee Myung-bak—a former mayor of Seoul—won the presidential election with 48.7 per cent of the vote. He was sworn in on Feb. 25.

In the 2004 legislative election, the Uri Party—closely tied to outgoing South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun—secured a slim majority in the National Assembly with 152 of the 299 seats at stake. The GNP was second, with 121 mandates. The UDP merges the Uri Party and the Democratic Party (DP).

Yesterday, UDP chairwoman Kang Geum-sil urged voters to back her party, saying, "Please help us in keeping this self-righteous government and the ruling party in check. Your help is crucial for the sake of the nation’s 99 per cent common people."

GNP leader Kang Jae-sup declared: "We need your support in retrieving the 10 years the country lost under incompetent liberal governments. We will be your party, standing by your side and working solely for your sake."

Polling Data

Which party would you vote for in the legislative election?

Grand National Party (GNP)	42.1%
United Democratic Party (UDP)	14.5%
Democratic Labour Party (DLP)	6.1%
Pro-Park Geun-hye coalition	4.4%
Renewal of Korea Party (RKP)	3.6%
Liberty Forward Party (LFP)	2.8%
New Progressive Party (NPP)	1.0%

Source: Gallup Korea / Chosun Ilbo
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,014 South Korean adults, conducted on Mar. 29, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.