Parties' support gap narrows

[Anchor]

We bring you the results of a public opinion poll conducted by KBS ahead of the Lunar New Year.

The gap in the support rates between the ruling and opposition parties, which had widened due to the martial law and the presidential impeachment crisis, has narrowed again to within the margin of error.

This trend is similar to what we saw in the April election last year.

First, reporter Lee Hee-yeon reports.

[Report]

We asked which party the respondents support.

The Democratic Party received 37%, while the People Power Party received 35%, making it a close race within the margin of error.

The Rebuilding Korea Party, Reform Party, and Progressive Party followed with single-digit support.

At the end of last year, the gap had widened significantly due to the martial law and the presidential impeachment crisis, but the Democratic Party dropped by 5 percentage points, while the People Power Party rose by 11 percentage points, bringing it back to a tight contest.

It has returned to the level seen in last April's general election.

The percentage of those with no party affiliation, referred to as the 'independent group,' decreased by 7 percentage points compared to the end of last year.

[Yoon Hee-woong/Head of polling company: "The sense of crisis in the conservative camp is rising, and with the possibility of an early presidential election, the situation is becoming similar to a fierce election race with the supporters uniting..."]

[Shin Yul/Professor of Political Science and Diplomacy at Myongji University: "The key word for the Democratic Party's decline is anxiety. I believe the Democratic Party is not alleviating our anxieties but rather exacerbating them...."]

Regionally, the support rates for both parties were within the margin of error in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, and the Chungcheong region, while the Democratic Party led significantly in Honam, and the People Power Party led in Daegu and Gyeongbuk.

By age group, the Democratic Party showed strong support among those in their 40s, while the People Power Party's support was prominent among those in their 60s and 70s.

Support for the Democratic Party was clear among the progressive group, while the conservative group showed distinct support for the People Power Party. Among respondents who identified as moderate, 41% supported the Democratic Party, while 21% supported the People Power Party.

This is KBS News, Lee Hee-yeon.