[Report] "Lee Jae-myung or Yoon Seok-yeol? Still Not Decided" Record-Level Unpopular Presidential Election... Voters Sigh

Citizens Met in Jongno, the 'Political Hub', Complain "No One to Vote For" When Asked About Lee-Yoon Support
Speculation That 'Ahn Cheol-soo Unification' Could Decide Presidential Election Outcome

Citizens met around Jongno-gu, Seoul, known as the "political hotspot," generally stated that they do not have any presidential candidates they support. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han, interns Jungwan Kim and Wooseok Kang] "I haven't decided who to pick yet.", "I think I'm getting more and more thoughtful."

With less than a month left until the 20th presidential election, voters clearly showed signs of struggling with whom to trust and choose as president. On the afternoon of the 9th, citizens met in the Jongno-gu area of Seoul, known as the "political hotspot," said the new president should focus on economic recovery such as job creation, but they did not readily express support for any particular candidate.

Mr. Park (65), who runs a street stall near Nakwon Arcade, told reporters, "Can I try making fish-shaped bread?" and said that someone with practical experience should be president. This is interpreted as support for Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate, who has extensive administrative experience as the governor of Seongnam and Gyeonggi Province. However, Mr. Kim lamented, "The current presidential election situation is truly pathetic," and added, "I have a candidate I support, but they are all the same."

Mr. Kim, in his late 40s, who works in administration at a vocational training center, also responded to the question "Do you support any presidential candidate?" with "I haven't decided yet," emphasizing, "I hope they pay a lot of attention to policies such as job creation and employment subsidies."

As of today (the 11th), the presidential election is 27 days away, but the fact that citizens have not yet decided on a candidate is analyzed to be due to what is called the "most disliked" presidential election in history. The American daily The Washington Post (WP) criticized on the 8th (local time) that next month's Korean presidential election is an important event that will affect neighboring countries, but Korean voters are growing weary of the candidates' fruitless disputes.

On the afternoon of the 9th, citizens met near Jongno and unanimously asked the presidential candidates to create jobs. Photo by Kang Wooseok, intern reporter beedolll97@asiae.co.kr

WP stated, "One candidate is embroiled in a historic land corruption scandal, while another is caught up in controversies over shamanism and belittling MeToo victims," adding, "Although these candidates have images as problem solvers and anti-corruption prosecutors, they have failed to present a useful political agenda to voters, focusing instead on family scandals ahead of this election." It then quoted a Korean studies expert, saying, "Korean party politics has a short history and there is a culture of excessive reliance on individuals," and "Because of this, Korean voters are feeling fatigued with the public system."

Meanwhile, some expressed outright disillusionment with politics. Office worker Mr. Choi (42) said, "Can Korean politics really develop?" and criticized, "They always fight, and this time even the spouses' issues have come up." He added, "This election seems like choosing the lesser evil to avoid the worst, but politicians are really pathetic."

These citizens' complaints are reflected in opinion polls. According to Korea Gallup's biweekly polls on next presidential candidate support after the match-up between candidate Lee and candidate Yoon was finalized, the survey from November 16-18 last year showed Lee at 31%, Yoon at 42%, and undecided at 14%.

In the November 30-December 2 survey, Lee and Yoon both had 36%, with 15% undecided. However, after the controversy over Yoon's spouse Kim Geon-hee's false resume surfaced, the December 14-16 poll showed Lee at 36%, Yoon at 35%, and undecided at 16%.

Regardless of the candidates' competition, the proportion of undecided voters increased by about 1 percentage point each time. Compared to previous elections where the undecided group gradually decreased, this is considered unusual. This result is interpreted as voters postponing their decision because major problems have simultaneously emerged in both camps. This is similar to the attitudes of citizens met in the Jongno area.

Meanwhile, the presidential race remains uncertain. As candidates Lee and Yoon continue a close battle in approval ratings, the possibility of unification has emerged as a variable. It is also speculated that which side Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party sides with could determine the election outcome.

Regarding this, Ahn has strongly expressed his intention to complete the presidential race. In an interview with a media outlet on the 10th, when asked whether persuasion is needed for the opposition supporters' demand for unification despite his intention to run, he said, "The greater the authority, the greater the responsibility. Why should I bear that responsibility?" He sharply criticized the People Power Party's demand for unification, saying, "I threw myself into the Seoul mayoral by-election to create a mood for regime change," and "Considering what they say about me and my supporters, I cannot give my heart to this."

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