(2nd LD) With election month away, Yoon, Lee neck and neck: surveys

(ATTN: ADDS more poll results in last 5 paras)

SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- With election day just a month away, Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party, is still neck and neck with ruling Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, two surveys showed Sunday.

According to a survey of 1,006 adults conducted last Thursday and Friday by the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI), Yoon is leading Lee with 37.2 percent support against 35.1 percent.

The difference between the two was 2.1 percentage points, which was within the margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level

In third place was Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, at 8.4 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party at 2.2 percent.

Another survey of 1,076 adults, conducted last Thursday and Friday by Realmeter, showed that Yoon is leading Lee with 43.3 percent support against 41.8 percent.

The gap was 1.5 percentage points, which was within the margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Ahn came in third with 7.5 percent, followed by Sim with 2.6 percent, according to the Realmeter survey.

The two surveys were conducted after the four candidates held their first TV debate.

A separate survey of 1,015 adults, conducted by Realmeter from last Thursday to Saturday, showed that 24.7 percent of respondents changed their candidate support after watching the TV debate.

In comparison, 68 percent said they did not change their candidate support after the TV debate.

When asked who had the best showing in the TV debate, 40.4 percent chose Yoon and 37.8 percent picked Lee.

The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Two more polls, released by Southern Post and Embrain Public later in the day, also showed Lee and Yoon in a tight race.

The Southern Post survey, conducted last Friday and Saturday on 1,001 voters and commissioned by broadcasting firm CBS, put support for Yoon at 36.8 percent as opposed to Lee's 31.7 percent.

The 5.1 percent gap was within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The poll has a confidence level of 95 percent.

In the Embrain Public survey, conducted last Friday and Saturday on 1,005 voters and commissioned by the JoongAng Ilbo daily, Lee had 38.1 percent support to Yoon's 36.8 percent.

The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, with a confidence level at 95 percent.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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