S.Korean main opposition party keeps top rank in approval ratings: poll

South Korea's main opposition party kept its top post in approval scores among political parties, with a new conservative party, composed of defectors from the ruling party, ranking fourth, a local survey showed on Friday.

According to a Gallup Korea poll conducted from Wednesday to Thursday, 40 percent of respondents supported the biggest opposition Minjoo Party.

Moon Jae-in, the party's former chairman, was the front-runner in recent presidential polls, far exceeding former UN chief Ban Ki-moon, whose second five-year term ended a week earlier.

Lee Jae-myung, mayor of Seongnam city to the southeast of Seoul who is affiliated with the Minjoo Party, stayed in the third place in recent surveys.

The minor opposition People's Party and the ruling Saenuri Party tied for the second with approval ratings of 12 percent.

The new conservative party, which was launched by breaking away from the governing party, came in the fourth place with 6 percent in approval scores.

Support for the conservative bloc continued to fall since the scandal involving President Park Geun-hye emerged in late October. The scandal resulted in Park's impeachment.

Ban, who is known to have been close to President Park and her party, saw his support scores fall down following the scandal. The former UN chief has never declared his official run for presidency, but he has long been viewed as powerful presidential contender in the conservative bloc. Endit