Main opposition takes first lead over ruling party in 4 yrs in Realmeter opinion poll

SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition party has surpassed the ruling party for the first time in nearly four years in Realmeter's weekly approval poll, the agency said Thursday, citing public anger over the Moon Jae-in administration's failure to curb housing price hikes.

The favorability of the United Future Party (UFP) rose 1.9 percentage point to 36.5 percent in the three-day survey of 1,507 voters nationwide through Wednesday, while support for the DP dropped 1.7 percentage point to 33.4 percent. The margin of error is plus and minus 2.5 percentage points.

It marks the first time that a conservative party's rating has outstripped that of the liberal DP since the start of monthslong massive candlelight vigils in late 2016 against then President Park Geun-hye, which led to her impeachment.

Realmeter's survey in the third week of October 2016 showed the UFP's predecessor Liberty Korea Party (LKP) garnering 29.6 percent in approval and the DP 29.2 percent. The DP's rating rose to 31.2 percent the following week, overtaking the LKP by 6.5 percentage points. The ruling party had since maintained the lead before it was overtaken by the UFP.

Realmeter said the ruling bloc has been losing support from not just swing voters but also from its core base, many in their 30s and 40s.

The DP's approval in Gwangju and the southwestern provincial region of Jeolla, the party's traditional stronghold, plunged 11.5 percentage points to 47.8 percent, it added.

"Public opinion against the real estate policy has worsened," a Realmeter official said, pointing out the UFP's successful efforts to reach out to swing voters.

Moon's job approval rating fell 0.6 percentage point to 43.3 percent.

lcd@yna.co.kr
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