Who Ranks First in Suitability Survey for Next Gangwon Province Governor Candidate?

With Hong Nam-ki · Opposition Kwon Seong-dong ... Around 70% Support No Candidate or No Response Group

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki (left in photo) and Kwon Seong-dong, Member of the National Assembly (People Power Party)

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] In a regional opinion poll asking about the suitability of candidates for the next Gangwon Province governor election, the incumbent Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki and National Assembly member Kwon Seong-dong (Gangneung, People Power Party) each took first place in their respective parties.

According to a telephone interview survey conducted by Gangwon Domin Ilbo from December 26 to 27 last year, commissioned to the polling agency DOpinion, using landline RDD and mobile phone virtual numbers, Deputy Prime Minister Hong showed a support rate of 10.5% in the suitability survey for the next governor candidate among the ruling party supporters in the Gangwon region, taking first place.

Next, Won Chang-mook, mayor of Wonju who is about to complete his third term, recorded 8.2%, narrowing the gap with Deputy Prime Minister Hong within the margin of error (±3.4%p). Following were Jeong Man-ho, Blue House Chief of Public Communication, with 3.5%, former Gangwon Research Institute Director Yuk Dong-han with 1.8%, and President of Korea Coal Corporation Yoo Jeong-bae with 0.7%.

Deputy Prime Minister Hong’s support was highest among those in their 50s (18.4%), and he recorded 12.9% in the Chuncheon area, 9.5% in the Gangneung area, and 9.4% in the Wonju area.

Among all respondents, 44.4% answered ‘No suitable candidate’ and 30.2% answered ‘Don’t know,’ showing a floating voter rate of 74.6%.

In the opposition party supporters’ suitability survey for Gangwon Province governor candidates, People Power Party’s Kwon Seong-dong (Gangneung) and former lawmaker Kim Jin-tae showed a close race within the margin of error at the forefront.

Kwon received 14.5% support, leading former lawmaker Kim, who had 10.2%, by ±3.4%p within the margin of error. Following were former Yeongwol County Governor Park Seon-gyu with 3.8%, former Deputy Governor Kim Sang-pyo with 2.6%, and former Korea Tourism Organization President Jeong Chang-su with 1.2%.

Kwon showed support rates of 23.3% in the Gangneung area, 11.0% in Chuncheon, and 9.3% in Wonju, while former lawmaker Kim showed 12.6% in Chuncheon, 11.1% in Wonju, and 7.1% in Gangneung.

Among all respondents, 41.2% answered ‘No suitable candidate’ and 25.7% answered ‘Don’t know,’ resulting in a floating voter rate of 66.9% overall.

In both ruling and opposition party surveys, those who had no preferred candidate or did not respond accounted for around 70%.

This opinion poll was conducted via telephone interviews targeting men and women aged 18 or older residing in Gangwon Province, including 266 respondents from the Chuncheon area (Chuncheon, Hongcheon, Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu, Inje), 289 from the Wonju area (Wonju, Taebaek, Hoengseong, Yeongwol, Pyeongchang, Inje), and 258 from the Gangneung area (Gangneung, Donghae, Sokcho, Samcheok, Goseong, Yangyang).

For detailed information, please refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website (www.nesdc.go.kr).