Park's approval rating edges up amid N. Korea's possible nuclear test

SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye's job approval rating edged up slightly, a local poll showed Friday, amid speculation of North Korea’s possible fifth nuclear test.

A poll released by Gallup Korea showed 30 percent approved of the job Park is doing, up 1 percentage point from a week earlier.

It also found that those who disapproved of Park's job performance came to 56 percent, down 2 percentage points from the previous week.

Last week, Park’s job approval rating plunged to 29 percent -- the lowest since she took office in early 2013.

The latest poll came amid speculation that North Korea could carry out a fifth nuclear test to mark a rare congress of the ruling Workers' Party early next month.

The poll also said 21 percent supported Ahn Cheol-soo, co-chairman of the minor opposition People's Party, in a potential presidential race.

The People's Party has emerged as a clear winner in parliamentary elections earlier this month as its seats in the new parliament jumped to 38 from 20 seats in the outgoing legislature.

Ahn is trailed by Moon Jae-in, a former leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party, with 17 percent. Approval rating for former Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon reached 7 percent with numbers for incumbent Mayor Park Won-soon standing at 6 percent.

The mobile phone survey was conducted on 1,001 adults from Tuesday through Thursday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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