A poll found that support for the People Power Party fell to 17%. Even in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, a People Power Party stronghold, support for the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party was tied.
Amid a sense of crisis that the party could suffer a crushing defeat in the local elections if things continue like this, senior lawmakers of the People Power Party met with Jang Dong-hyeok, the party leader, and demanded a "breakthrough." But there was no shift in the party line such as "cutting ties with Yoon Suk-yeol," nor any specific conclusions.
Results of the National Barometer Survey (NBS) for the fourth week of February (the 23rd–25th) by Embrain, Kstat Research, Korea Research International, and Hankook Research were released on the 26th. In this regularly conducted poll, the Democratic Party of Korea recorded 45% party support and the People Power Party 17%. The Democratic Party rose 4 percentage points from the previous week, while the People Power Party fell 5 percentage points, widening the gap between the two parties to 28 percentage points.
By region, the gap was even larger. In Seoul, the Democratic Party was at 41% and the People Power Party at 19%, and in Incheon and Gyeonggi, the Democratic Party was at 49% and the People Power Party at 16%. Notably, the Democratic Party led even in all regions where the People Power Party holds the incumbent metropolitan mayors or governors. In Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang, the Democratic Party was at 39% and the People Power Party at 23%, and in Daejeon, Sejong, and North Chungcheong, the Democratic Party was at 39% and the People Power Party at 15%. In Daegu and North Gyeongsang, a People Power Party stronghold, the two parties were tied at 28%.
Hong Young-rim, former head of the People Power Party's Yeouido Institute, said of the poll results, "Support among conservatives has been cut in half, and even the conservative heartland, 'TK,' is tied at 28% between the ruling and opposition parties," adding, "The evaluation of the leadership is also devastating. For Representative Jung Chung-rae, positive (43%) and negative (42%) are similar, but for Representative Jang Dong-hyeok, negative (62%) overwhelmed positive (23%). Even among conservatives and in TK, negative opinion is dominant."
The poll was conducted with telephone interviews of 1,002 adults. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points. For details, see the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission website.
For the People Power Party, the shocking poll results caused a stir within the party. It was said that the poll became a key topic during a meeting at the National Assembly in the morning between senior People Power Party lawmakers and Representative Jang Dong-hyeok.
After meeting with Representative Jang, lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae told reporters, "Looking at recent poll results, everyone knows things are quite difficult," adding, "I told Representative Jang that without a clear break and severance from the past, it won't work."
Lawmaker Lee Jong-bae, who proposed the senior lawmakers' meeting, also said, "I think our party's lethargy and confusion are being reflected in the poll results," adding, "If we devise ways to overcome these issues and find a breakthrough and pursue countermeasures, I think our approval rating could rise."
On this day, the senior lawmakers and Representative Jang agreed to revive the supreme-senior meeting. However, there were no concrete outcomes such as "cutting ties with Yoon" or a shift in the party line. Rather, as calls for unity gained traction, some predict the Jang leadership may be solidifying.
Lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun said, "Our most fundamental view is that the party must no longer be divided," and lawmaker Na Kyung-won also said, "The most important thing we must do is to mobilize the party's full strength to uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Korea."
Chief spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon said, "There was talk of dispelling all conflicts and focusing on the local elections," adding, "There was no mention at all of a shift in the party line, and the accurate point is to think deeply about a breakthrough."