Lee Jae Myung Maintains Lead in NBS Poll...Significantly Ahead in Hypothetical Three-Way Race [Polpol News]

Lee Jae Myung Receives 93% Support Among Democratic Party Base
Party Support: Democratic Party 38%, People Power Party 35%
Lee Jae Myung Maintains Mid-40% Support in Hypothetical Three-Way Race

Former Democratic Party leader and presidential preliminary candidate Lee Jae Myung is reported to be leading by a wide margin in the June 3 presidential election. In both the suitability survey listing multiple presidential candidates and the hypothetical three-way race, Lee Jae Myung maintained a lead with support rates exceeding 40%.

According to the National Barometer Survey (NBS), conducted by Embrain Public, KSTAT Research, Korea Research, and Hankook Research from April 21 to 23, 2025, through mobile phone interviews with 1,005 men and women aged 18 and older nationwide (margin of error: ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, response rate: 20.0%), Lee Jae Myung ranked first with 41% in the poll asking which candidate is most suitable for the next president (presenting multiple candidates). This is a 2 percentage point increase compared to the same survey last week.

Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential primary candidate, is speaking at a policy meeting for revitalizing the capital market held at the Korea Financial Investment Association in Yeouido, Seoul on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News

He was followed by former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon Pyo and former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon Soo, each with 10%. Former People Power Party leader Han Dong Hoon received 8%, while People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol Soo and Reform New Party presidential candidate Lee Jun Seok each received 3%.

In the survey on suitability for the Democratic Party presidential candidate, Lee Jae Myung received 47%, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong Yeon received 10%, and former South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Kyung Soo received 3%. Among only Democratic Party supporters, Lee Jae Myung's support was 93%, Kim Dong Yeon 1%, and Kim Kyung Soo 1%.

In the survey on suitability for the People Power Party presidential candidate, former Mayor Hong Joon Pyo received 14%, former leader Han Dong Hoon 13%, former Minister Kim Moon Soo 11%, and lawmaker Ahn Cheol Soo 8%. Narrowing the sample to only those who identified as People Power Party supporters, 28% supported Kim Moon Soo, 26% supported Hong Joon Pyo, and 22% supported Han Dong Hoon.

In the hypothetical three-way race, where Lee Jae Myung and Lee Jun Seok were fixed and the four People Power Party candidates were rotated, Lee Jae Myung led regardless of the match-up. In the hypothetical race against Kim Moon Soo (Lee Jae Myung 46%, Kim Moon Soo 25%, Lee Jun Seok 9%), against Hong Joon Pyo (Lee Jae Myung 45%, Hong Joon Pyo 26%, Lee Jun Seok 7%), against Han Dong Hoon (Lee Jae Myung 45%, Han Dong Hoon 21%, Lee Jun Seok 8%), and against Ahn Cheol Soo (Lee Jae Myung 46%, Ahn Cheol Soo 17%, Lee Jun Seok 7%), Lee Jae Myung maintained a dominant position with support in the mid-40% range.

In terms of party support, the Democratic Party recorded 38%, the People Power Party 35%, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party 5%, and the Reform New Party 2%.

For more detailed information regarding the poll, please refer to the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.