[Public Sentiment Survey] Tense Capital Region Public Opinion... "Lee Has Drive" vs "Yoon Regime Change"

Tense Neck-and-Neck Battle
Lee Jae-myung Supporters: "Skills Have Been Proven"
Yoon Seok-yeol Supporters: "Real Estate Failures, Regime Change Is Necessary"
"Mutual Criticism Should Be Minimized," Public Opinion Also

[Asia Economy reporters Naju Seok, Lee Myunghwan, Kim Youngwon, Kang Joohee] The presidential election sentiment in the metropolitan area, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, which will determine the outcome of the March 9 presidential election, was tense. Voices supporting Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party presidential candidate, saying the regime must be changed, clashed with voices supporting Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate, saying the country should be entrusted to a candidate whose ability and competence have been verified.

On the weekend of the 19th and 20th, we met citizens in areas such as Suwon and Anyang in Gyeonggi Province, and Mapo-gu, Gangseo-gu, and Yangcheon-gu in Seoul to hear their voices on the ground. In Seoul, support for Yoon was relatively strong, while in Gyeonggi Province, support for Lee was relatively strong. Lee’s supporters gave points for his ability to manage state affairs, while Yoon’s supporters emphasized the need for regime change. Citizens emphasized that they were not well aware of the candidates’ local pledges themselves and stressed that this election is to elect a president, not a mayor. However, they said their opinions could change if pledges suitable for the regional characteristics were presented.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Gyeonggi Province trusts Lee Jae-myung’s drive = In Gyeonggi Province, the atmosphere showed a strong presence of Lee. This is because he has experience as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province, so there is some trust in his competence. Mr. Go (41), who lives in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, said, "(Candidate Lee) has the drive to push policies forward, so I trust him as a person. We need a candidate who can push strongly now." He came to Lee’s campaign site with his child and said he "has trust" in Lee. Mrs. Lee Jong-bun, a housewife living in Suwon, said, "Because Candidate Lee did well as governor of Gyeonggi Province, I feel he will do well properly."

There were also voices worried that Yoon, Lee’s rival, lacks government experience. Mr. Park Byunghwan (77), who lives in Suwon, said, "Candidate Yoon only knows the prosecution." Mr. Lee (60), who lives in Gwangmyeong, said, "Looking at Yoon’s campaign committee, it seems like they are trying to take control of the prosecution," adding, "We cannot hand over democracy to those people."

Mr. Park (52), who lives in Anyang, said, "Candidate Yoon may have tried, but he is an unprepared person suddenly coming out and saying he wants to be president," adding, "Someone who was only focused on one thing leading South Korea does not fit reality." He conveyed the atmosphere, saying, "The grassroots sentiment is different from the polls. Many around me think Candidate Lee will win." Regarding the fact that Lee’s support rate is behind Yoon’s in recent polls, he said, "The sentiment around me is about half and half," adding, "Yoon’s side has many hardliners, while Lee’s side is often quiet, so Yoon is ahead in the polls." This referred to the so-called ‘Shy Lee Jae-myung.’ Mr. Park, who lives in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, said, "I think Candidate Lee is a competent candidate who can revive people’s livelihoods," adding, "The presidential election is not a popularity contest."

◆ Seoul shows strength in regime change theory = In Seoul, voices expressing disappointment with the Democratic Party were relatively loud. The mood leaned toward regime change. Citizens were especially angry about real estate issues and showed lukewarm reactions to the recent supplementary budget process led by the Democratic Party to provide 3 million won in quarantine support funds per small business owner.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Mr. Kim (68), who runs a ginseng wholesale store in Hwagog Nambu Market, Gangseo-gu, said, "If I had to choose, I dislike the Democratic Party and because they have made many mistakes, my heart leans a little toward the People Power Party," adding, "Fundamentally, I think the regime must be changed. Unless there is a special adverse event or a big mistake, I expect the People Power Party to win."

Mr. Heo (26), who lives in Yangcheon-gu, said, "Yoon Seok-yeol is better. House prices have surged rapidly in recent years, and despite nearly 30 real estate policies, house prices have only gone up, not down," adding, "The government says prices are going down slightly, but it is already too late to return to pre-Moon administration house prices. In that sense, regime change is necessary."

Mr. Jeong (66), a self-employed person in Gangseo-gu, said, "Giving only 3 million won barely feels tangible, and the fact that they handled it among themselves like a theft at 2 a.m. is unreasonable," adding, "They should have negotiated it; that itself is a problem and increases disappointment."

◆ Local pledges have little influence on voting intentions = Voters in the metropolitan area showed low sensitivity to local pledges made by presidential candidates. When asked whether local pledges would influence voting intentions, voters answered that they did not even know what local pledges were. Mr. Park (52), an office worker living in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, said, "Some voters may change their choice based on local pledges, but only if the policies fit the region." Mr. Park also said, "There may be some influence, but the presidential election is not a local election. Since it is to elect someone to manage the whole country, I think local pledges do not carry much weight."

Mr. Song (50), a self-employed person in Seoul, said, "It is good that presidential candidates promise to develop the region, but just as a head of household must manage well for the children to do well, there will be many variables, so expectations are not high," adding, "It does not greatly influence the choice."

◆ Concerns about negative campaigning grow = Mr. Lee Sang-su (70), a taxi driver in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, said, "There is no one among the candidates I can trust," adding, "I originally supported the conservative side (People Power Party), but now there is no one I like. I plan to abstain from voting in this election." A man in his 20s who came to Lee’s campaign site in Anyang with an acquaintance said, "I am not very interested in politics, so I do not have a candidate I support."

Mr. Lee (35), a citizen of Yangcheon-gu met at Mokdong Station, said, "Honestly, I do not like either the Democratic Party or the People Power Party. I wonder if there has ever been a presidential election as negative and noisy as this one," adding, "I hope they stop slandering each other. If people in the same household slander each other, what kind of family would that be?"

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