People Power Party's Main Primary Poll Adopts 'Four-Choice' Format... "All Candidates' Opinions Fully Considered" (Comprehensive)

Questioning 'Competitiveness' Based on One-on-One Duel Assumption
Election Commission's Decision Amid Candidates' Disagreements

Seong Il-jong, a member of the National Assembly and chairman of the subcommittee on public opinion polls under the People Power Party's Election Commission, is briefing the decisions after the Election Commission meeting on the 26th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The People Power Party has adopted a 'four-choice multiple-choice' format for the main primary public opinion poll to decide the presidential candidate. However, to reflect competitiveness in the general election, the question will be based on a 'hypothetical one-on-one match,' asking which of the four candidates is most competitive.

Seong Il-jong, a member of the People Power Party and chairman of the Election Commission's Public Opinion Poll Subcommittee, told reporters after the Election Commission meeting on the 26th, "We concluded by asking questions based on hypothetical one-on-one matchups and inquiring about general election competitiveness."

According to the Election Commission's explanation, the main primary public opinion poll questions will likely ask 'Who is most competitive against Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate?' along with 'Lee Jae-myung vs. Yoon Seok-youl,' 'Lee Jae-myung vs. Yoo Seung-min,' 'Lee Jae-myung vs. Won Hee-ryong,' and 'Lee Jae-myung vs. Hong Joon-pyo.'

Furthermore, the choices will likely be presented in a four-choice multiple-choice format, asking for the names of the four People Power Party candidates individually.

Regarding this decision, Representative Seong explained, "Election Commission Chairman Jeong Hong-won previously stated that questions would be asked one-on-one, and we included the statement that questions about one-on-one matchups in the general election would be asked to determine which of the four candidates has competitiveness in the general election."

He added, "I would like to emphasize that the focus was placed on the most important issue of regime change," and "After the election, we will also heed the people's wishes to form a unified front and proceed as one team, and today's conclusion is most suitable for that spirit."

On the issue of differing opinions among candidates regarding the question items, he said, "We collected opinions from the candidates three times in advance," and "The Election Commission made the final decision after considering both the camps' opinions and expert opinions."

There have been significant disagreements among candidates over the polling method. Kim Jang-soo, policy chief of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's camp, said before the Election Commission meeting, "The recent discussion at the Election Commission was about measuring general election competitiveness, but the four-choice multiple-choice format is a very poor method for measuring general election competitiveness," adding, "To assess general election competitiveness, a hypothetical one-on-one matchup against Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is appropriate." He also said, "If we go with the four-choice multiple-choice format, a reverse choice prevention clause should be included."

On the other hand, Lee Eon-ju, former lawmaker and co-chair of Hong Joon-pyo's campaign, criticized the one-on-one matchup method on TBS Radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory,' saying, "If you keep changing the person (candidate) one by one, there will be variations in response rates," and regarding the reverse choice prevention clause being discussed as a compromise, she pointed out, "There is no precedent. It has already been decided not to include it."

The party leadership also demanded the Election Commission make a decision in favor of the 'four-choice multiple-choice' format. On the same day, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, after paying respects at the grave of former President Park Chung-hee at the Seoul National Cemetery, told reporters, "If an unprecedented proposal comes out, it will cause considerable confusion regardless of the final conclusion," expressing support for the four-choice multiple-choice format. Kim Ki-hyun, floor leader of the People Power Party, pressured on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' saying, "Since the traditional method we have used is considered a reasonable method, I hope the Election Commission handles it smoothly and well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.