Goh Kun Ranks First In Survey for Next Presidency

“Goh Kun syndrome“ continues.

Former Prime Minister Goh Kun ranked first in a survey of preferences for the next presidentship with a 30.2 percent share of support in a study conducted by Dong-a Ilbo.

He also ranked first with a 29.7 percent share of support in a survey that Dong-a Ilbo requested from the Korea Research Center on December 23 last year.

Grand National Party (GNP) leader Park Geun-hye and the mayor of Seoul Lee Myung-bak followed the former Prime Minister Goh Kun, with 13.3 percent and 12.7 percent shares of support, respectively.

The support rate for GNP leader Park Geun-hye fell by 4.1 percent in two months compared to 17.4 percent last December, while that for Mayor Lee went up by 4.3 percent in the same period. A rise in the preference for Mayor Lee was analyzed as a result of visible achievements, including the reorganization of public transportation system in Seoul and the Cheonggyecheon restoration project.

Meanwhile, a decrease in the support rate for GNP leader Park was found among female respondents. A decrease in her male supporters stayed at a mere 0.4 percentage points (from 13.2 percent to 12.8 percent), while the rate of her female supporters fell sharply by 7.8 percentage points from 21.5 percent to 13.7 percent.

The rate of respondents who supported Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young remained unchanged at 10.4 percent compared to December last year (10.8 percent). Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, Minister of Health and Welfare Kim Geun-tae, Gyeonggi provincial governor Sohn Hak-kyu, and GNP lawmaker Kang Jae-sup all gained support with less than five percent.

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com