hankyoreh

May 31.

In a telephone poll conducted by Hankyoreh and Research Plus, an opinion poll and marketing research company, on Saturday, more than half of Koreans believe that President Lee Myung-bak must apologize for the death of late former President Roh Moo-hyun. On this item, 56 percent of respondents believe Lee should apologize, while 37.5 percent said they did not agree with an apology. Another 51.6 percent also believe members of the Justice Ministry and the Prosecutor General should resign over this incident.

An estimated two in three respondents, or 59.3 percent, agreed that Roh’s death was a result of the current president’s acts of political retaliation, while 34.7 percent disagreed. On the question item who shouldered the greatest responsibility, nearly half or 47.4 percent indicated prosecutors and ruling forces, while 27.9 percent said President Roh himself, and 15.5 percent said the media. Of the 47.4 percent, 22.7 percent selected prosecutors as the main parties responsible, 14.2 percent selected President Lee, and 10.5 percent selected the ruling Grand National Party (GNP).

On the question item regarding political parties, the 21.7 percent showed support for the Democratic Party, an 8.4 percent lead over the 18.7 percent who showed support for the GNP. Even if one takes into account that the poll was taken the day after Roh’s funeral, it is noteworthy in possible forecasts for the future as it represents the first time in four years that the approval ratings of the two parties have switched.

On the question item regarding the current president’s handling of national affairs, 57.7 percent said President Lee was doing a poor job, while 30.6 percent said he was doing well. This is a 6.4 percentage point drop from the 37 percent support recorded in the last Hankyroreh poll conducted in April 28.

This nationwide poll was conducted via telephone with 1,000 men and women over the age of 19. The poll has a confidence level of 95 percent, a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent, and a response rate of 17.2 percent.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]