Labor minister emerges as hope of conservatives

Oct 04, 2024, 09:59 am

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Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo / Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Han Dae-eui

Public opinion polls continue to show that Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo has recently emerged as a potential presidential candidate. In a recent poll of 1,002 Korean adults aged 18 or above by Ace Research, Kim received 4.3 percent of votes from respondents as their preferred presidential candidate behind Lee Jae-myung with 41 percent, Han Dong-hoon with 19 percent, Cho Kuk with 7 percent, and Lee Jun-seok with 4.5 percent. Among conservative candidates, Kim started to beat not only Oh Se-hoon with 2.9 percent and Ahn Cheol-soo with 2.1 percent, but also Hong Joon-pyo with 3.8 percent. On the other hand, the voter preference for the ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon has fallen, only half of that of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung.

The voter preference for Kim was also seen in other polls. Kim, who showed a 2 percent approval rating in Gallup’s “Future Political Leaders” poll in the first week of September, also showed the same approval rating in the fourth week of September, and was listed on the list of presidential candidates. Gallup Korea asked 1,001 voters nationwide from September 24-26 who they think is the most adequate as a political leader who will lead the country. DP leader Lee Jae-myung received the most votes with 25 percent, followed by PPP leader Han Dong-hoon with 15 percent, National Innovation Party leader Cho Kuk with 4 percent, Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok with 3 percent, and Minister Kim Moon-soo with 2 percent along with Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and former land minister Won Hee-ryong received 1 percent support, each.

As conservative presidential candidate, it is evaluated that Minister Kim beat Oh Se-hoon, Won Hee-ryong, and Ahn Cheol-soo. “Unlike other polls, the latest Gallup poll was not a four-option preference survey, but a poll in which voters speak directly, so the voter’s confidence is high,” experts said.

The reason behind Kim’s rising popularity seems that his supporters are being formed with confidence and conviction among conservatives. Most of his supporters are seen among supporters of President Yoon Suk-yeol, and those in their 70s from Daegu and North Gyeongsang region.

In particular, those in their 70s overwhelmingly supported Han, and it can be seen that they are turning to support Kim. Besides, Kim’s high approval rating among supporters of President Yoon Suk-yeol and from Daegu-North Gyeongsang region indicates that the mainstream of conservatives is shifting to support Kim.

This proves that the movement of the conservatives is feeling fatigue in the trend of generational change to Lee Joon-seok and Han Dong-hoon. It is expected that voters would place more emphasis on ‘experience’ than ‘freshness’ and the trend of ‘reverse generational change’ is expected to strengthen further. This is because the power of those in their 20s, 30s, and 40s is not as strong as before.

As a result, Minister Kim Moon-soo and Mayor Hong Joon-pyo are expected to represent the trend in the ruling party while Kim Dong-yeon, Kim Boo-kyum and Kim Doo-kwan are expected to emerge in the opposition bloc. It is necessary to pay attention to the trend of public sentiment in which Minister Kim appears as a presidential candidate.

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