Conservative Former Presidents Step into Public View... Will TK Approval Ratings Rebound?

Park to Attend Park Chung-hee Memorial on 26th... Meets Yoon
MB Walks with Citizens at Four Major Rivers Day Before
Recent Low TK Support... "Synergy Expected to Be Significant"

Former conservative presidents have consecutively made public appearances ahead of the general election. As the ruling party's approval ratings struggle in the TK (Daegu·Gyeongbuk) region, their stronghold, attention is focused on whether the messages from the former presidents will contribute to 'conservative consolidation.'

Former President Park Geun-hye attended the 44th memorial service for former President Park Chung-hee at the Seoul National Cemetery at 11 a.m. on the 26th. This was her first visit as a representative of the bereaved family since her special pardon two years ago. President Yoon Suk-yeol, People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun, floor leader Yoon Jae-ok, and other ruling party leaders attended the event and met with former President Park. In-yo Han, chairman of the People Power Party Innovation Committee, who served as vice chairman of the National Unity Committee during the transition team when Park was president-elect in 2012, also attended the memorial service.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 13th, former President Park also met with ruling party leaders who visited her residence in Dalseong County, Daegu, and conveyed positive messages about the government. After the meeting, Leader Kim told reporters, "I told President Yoon that I was visiting former President Park Geun-hye today, and he asked me to convey that he would like to meet her sometime." He added, "So I conveyed this to former President Park today, and she responded positively."

Former President Lee Myung-bak also visited Gangcheonbo in Yeoju, where the Four Major Rivers Project was carried out, the day before, meeting with citizens. Although he remained silent on political questions, he mentioned that the current government is conducting "tributary and stream maintenance projects" related to the Four Major Rivers and said, "It's a good thing." It is also known that he plans to hold a calligraphy exhibition in December.

In recent polls, presidential approval ratings were low in most regions, including TK. According to a survey conducted by Realmeter (commissioned by Energy Economy Newspaper) from the 16th to the 20th among 2,505 adults nationwide, the positive evaluation of the president's job performance dropped by 1.5 percentage points from the previous survey to 32.5%. In the TK region, it fell by 1.2 percentage points (49.1%), and in the PK region, it dropped by 4.2 percentage points (35.0%). In a Gallup poll conducted from the 17th to the 19th among 1,000 adults (referenced from the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website), the positive evaluation of the president's job performance in TK dropped by 13 percentage points from the previous survey to 45%.

In political circles, it is expected that the messages from former conservative presidents, who have strong support in the Yeongnam region, will help raise the government's approval ratings. Professor Shin Yul of Myongji University's Department of Political Science and Diplomacy said, "If former President Park represents 'symbolism,' President Yoon represents 'influence.' If former President Park meets with President Yoon and issues a supportive message, it would be a convergence of influence and symbolism," adding, "The synergy would be considerable."

Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, said on MBC Radio that morning, "Former President Park's influence definitely exists. Even if she does not say anything, it is true that there are still supporters in TK and nationwide."

Lee Jin-bok, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Presidential Office, also showed a positive response. When asked about the activities of former presidents at the People Power Party central office the day before, he said, "There will be far more good aspects than bad," adding, "If their state governance experience can be passed on to the next person and discussed together, it will be a great asset to the country."