PPP support sinks to 17% amid backlash

Support for the conservative People Power Party has fallen to 17 percent, its lowest level since Rep. Jang Dong-hyuk took over as party leader, according to a new poll released Wednesday. Analysts say that after Jang publicly defended former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the party appears to have lost ground not only among centrist voters but also within its traditional conservative base.

The latest National Barometer Survey showed support for the People Power Party at 17 percent, compared with 45 percent for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. The survey was conducted from Feb. 23 to 25 among 1,002 adults nationwide aged 18 and older through telephone interviews by Embrain Public, Kstat Research, Korea Research and Hankook Research. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

The poll was the first NBS survey taken after Jang on Feb. 20 rejected a lower court ruling that sentenced Yoon to life imprisonment and declined to distance the party from the former president. The 17 percent rating represents the party’s weakest showing since Jang assumed the leadership on Aug. 26 last year. In the previous survey, conducted in the first week of February, support stood at 22 percent for the People Power Party and 41 percent for the Democratic Party.

Among centrist respondents, support for the People Power Party fell to 9 percent, marking the lowest level since the NBS began tracking in July 2020. Even in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, traditionally regarded as the party’s stronghold, support was tied with the Democratic Party of Korea at 28 percent. Although Jang has focused on consolidating the party’s core base, critics argue that even conservative voters are beginning to turn away.

Following the poll’s release, calls for Jang’s resignation emerged within the party. Rep. Ahn Sang-hoon, aligned with former party leader Han Dong-hoon, said, “At this rate, the outcome of the June local elections is all but certain. I urge Chairman Jang to step down voluntarily.”


이상헌 기자 dapaper@donga.com