Seoul citizens walk past campaign banners of presidential candidates in western Seoul on May 23, 2025. Yonhap
According to a survey of 1,002 voters conducted earlier this week by pollster Gallup Korea, Lee garnered 45 percent support as the preferred presidential candidate.
Kim Moon-soo, the candidate for People Power Party (PPP), followed in second place with 36 percent, narrowing the gap significantly by gaining 7 percentage points from the previous week, while Lee’s support dropped by 6 points.
Kim, a former Minister of Employment and Labor, has recently gained traction, especially among conservative voters, amid controversies following former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s departure from the PPP and heated exchanges during the first televised debate.
Lee, who initially sought to broaden his appeal among moderate and conservative voters, saw declining support from conservatives, down from 22 percent to 18 percent, and a slight drop among moderates, from 52 percent to 49 percent.
Lee Jun-seok, leader of the minor Reform Party, reached double-digit support for the first time, securing 10 percent. Lee’s rise was notably strong among young voters in their 20s and 30s.
Regionally, Lee Jae-myung maintained strong leads in Seoul, and the densely populated area surrounding it, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon in the northwest. In contrast, Kim dominated traditional conservative strongholds, including Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province in the southeastern part of the country, as well as the southeastern coastal cities of Busan and Ulsan along with South Gyeongsang Province. Both candidates were nearly tied in the central Daejeon-Chungcheong region.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party led party preference ratings with 42 percent support, ahead of the PPP, which stood at 36 percent. The Reform Party achieved its highest-ever support at 6 percent since its establishment.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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