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S.Korean opposition party candidate tops all New Year presidential polls

Xinhua, January 2, 2017 Adjust font size:

A presidential hopeful of South Korea's main opposition party took the top spot in three local media polls in the New Year amid expectations for an early presidential race resulting from the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

According to a conservative Chosun Ilbo newspaper survey released on Monday, Moon Jae-in, former chairman of the biggest opposition Minjoo Party, ranked first under all scenarios, including two-way, three-way and four-way presidential elections.

Under the simulated showdown between Moon and former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Moon is elected as next South Korean president by 42.2 percent to 35.5 percent. It is based on a coalition scenario between Ban and Ahn Cheol-soo, former chief of the minor opposition People's Party.

Ban, whose second, five-year term ended on Dec. 31, is forecast to come back to South Korea, his home country, in mid-January. The career diplomat has never officially declared his run for presidency, but he has been viewed as the most powerful presidential candidate in the conservative camp.

Under the three-way scenario, Moon gained 39.3 percent support in a simulated presidential election, followed by Ban with 28.7 percent and Ahn with 11.4 percent.

The four-way scenario, including a candidate from the ruling Saenuri Party, also gave Moon the first place with 37 percent. He was trailed by Ban with 24.8 percent, Ahn with 11.1 percent and the Saenuri player with 2.5 percent.

Meanwhile, Moon ranked first in presidential surveys by Joongang Ilbo newspaper and Yonhap news agency.

The newspaper survey showed Moon beating Ban by 47.2 percent to 39.8 percent in a showdown. The powerful opposition contender also led the three-way scenario with 41.8 percent, exceeding Ban's 34.6 percent and Ahn's 14.5 percent.

Yonhap poll showed 21.6 percent of 2,022 respondents favoring Moon the most as their next leader. Ban was 4.4 percentage points behind Moon with 17.2 percent.

Lee Jae-myung, mayor of Seongnam, a city to southeast of Seoul, posted the third place with 11.4 percent. He is affialited with the Minjoo Party.

Ahn of the People's Party and Ahn Hee-jung of the Minjoo Party, who is governor of the central province, tied for fourth place with 4.6 percent. Endit