By Lee Jin-woo
Staff Reporter


Former Prime Minister Goh Kun once again leads with the highest approval rating among presidential hopefuls, a recent survey showed.

According to a survey of 1,000 adults by the Hankook Ilbo, sister paper of The Korea Times, and Media Research, a local survey research institute, Goh placed first with 29.6 percent, followed by Park Geun-hye, chairwoman of the largest opposition Grand National Party (GNP), with 17 percent and Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak also of the GNP, with 16.9 percent.

The survey was conducted nationwide on Aug. 9 through telephone interviews.

However, some 10 percent of those surveyed responded they have not been able to find any appropriate leader for the next presidency and 4.5 percent gave no answer.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, former MBC anchorman and the only member of the ruling Uri Party to make it in the top five, ranked fourth with 6.2 percent and former presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang of the GNP placed fifth with 3.6 percent.

Rep. Kwon Young-ghil, former presidential candidate of the progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP), took sixth place with 3.2 percent, followed by Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan with 3.1 percent.

In another survey last month by Gallup Korea, former Premier Goh also placed first with 53.6 percent. Chairwoman Park and Mayor Lee came in second with 36.9 percent and third with 35.7 percent, respectively. In the survey of 1,057 adults nationwide, respondents were asked to choose three presidential hopefuls, not just one, from among a list of suggested politicians.

As for President Roh Moo-hyun’s proposal to form a coalition with opposition parties, especially with the GNP, 59.7 percent opposed the president’s idea while 22.9 percent supported the proposal.

In the article posted on the Web site of Chong Wa Dae on July 28, Roh suggested transferring power to the GNP through a ``grand coalition,’’ a parliamentary form of government, and overhauling the constituency system to put an end to regional rivalry. But the GNP has not shown any willingness to accept his offer.

Despite the president’s explanation that the coalition plan had to be chosen to end lingering regional antagonism, especially between Cholla and Kyongsang provinces, 41.9 percent of those polled thought the plan was proposed as a way for the governing party to continue its hold on power. About 35.6 percent said the plan was invented to help ease the chronic regional antagonism.

When it comes to approval ratings of political parties, the GNP topped the poll with 33.8 percent, followed by the governing party with 20.1 percent and the DLP with 14.7 percent. The minor opposition Democratic Party (DP) placed fourth with 6.3 percent.

things@koreatimes.co.kr