Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon ranked most favored potential presidential candidate

In the Gallup Korea’s survey released on June 12, six out of ten Korean citizens predicted the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak would subside soon. According to the survey of 1,002 adults above the age of 19 conducted from June 9 to 11, 58% of respondents answered the deadly virus would be contained within a few days. Only 31 percent of respondets said MERS would spread more. Per age group, a bigger number of people expected the virus to be contained soon from 30s to 60s or above.

However, 61 percent of the respondents in the age group of 20s said the virus would continue to spread, which was higher than the ratio of respondents who said, "MERS would be contained (33 percent)." On the closure of kindergartens and schools adjacent to hospitals in the regions with MERS confirmed cases, 62 percent of the surveyed people said, "It was an appropriate measure," while only 31 percent said, "It was too extreme."

When asked about the most favored potential presidential candidate, 17% of the respondents named Seoul City Mayor Park Won-soon for Park’s leadership in addressing the MERS outbreak in Seoul. Park topped the list for the first time in six months. Ruling Saenuri Chairman Kim Moo-sung and opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy Chairman Moon Jae-in came in the second place (respectively 13 percent), followed by NPAD Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo (8 percent) and former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (6 percent). The survey was conducted in the RDD method, the random digit dialing. The survey has a 95 percent confidence level with plus or minus 3.1 percent error.

soof@donga.com