Anchor: Marking the start of 2024, KBS has conducted a survey on public perception of the nation's politics with only four months to go until the general elections for the 22nd National Assembly.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: With about 100 days to go ahead of the April 10 general elections, a KBS survey found that the main opposition Democratic Party held an advantage over the ruling People Power Party slim enough to fall within the margin of error.

Support for the DP came in at 36 percent versus 35 percent for the PPP while 21 percent said they did not support any political party.

By region, voters in the southwestern city of Gwangju and surrounding Jeolla provinces were largely favorable to the DP, while those in the southeastern city of Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province expressed support for the PPP.

A relatively higher number of respondents in their 40s supported the main opposition, with those in their 70s or older more likely to back the ruling party.

Asked which party's candidate they would vote for in their respective constituency in April, 41 percent of respondents said they remain undecided or that there was no candidate they would vote for, while 28 percent said a PPP candidate against 26 percent who said a DP candidate, a gap within the margin of error.

Forty-two percent of respondents voiced support for the ruling party to bolster the Yoon Suk Yeol government’s agenda, up against 49 percent behind the opposition to keep the administration in check.

As for President Yoon’s handling of state affairs, 36 percent said he was doing  "very well" or "relatively well" compared to 56 percent that said "relatively bad" or "very bad," with 63 percent of self-proclaimed moderates in the negative camp.

Looking ahead to the next presidential race in 2027, 25 percent considered DP chief Lee Jae-myung as the next state leader while 24 percent citing PPP interim chief Han Dong-hoon to also fall within the margin of error.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.