With the possibility of an early presidential election in South Korea gaining momentum after the Lunar New Year holiday, attention is turning to potential candidates.

According to multiple polls, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is leading the race, while the ruling People Power Party field remains competitive, with Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, and former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min among the top contenders.

With South Korea potentially heading for an early presidential election, polls show Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung (left) as the frontrunner, while the ruling People Power Party remains locked in a tight race to field a competitive candidate. /Newsis

A Gallup Korea poll commissioned by the JoongAng Ilbo on Jan. 23-24 surveyed 1,031 adults nationwide through mobile phone interviews with randomly generated numbers. The results showed Lee in first place with 36% support. Among ruling party candidates, Kim Moon-soo led with 16%, followed by Hong Joon-pyo at 10%, Han Dong-hoon at 8%, and Oh Se-hoon at 7%.

A separate poll conducted by Hankook Research for KBS on Jan. 24-26, surveying 1,000 adults via telephone interviews, found Lee leading with 35%, followed by Kim Moon-soo at 14%, Han at 7%, and both Hong and Oh at 5%. A Korea Research International poll for MBC on Jan. 27-28, based on responses from 1,004 adults, also placed Lee at 36%, with Kim at 17%, Oh at 7%, and Hong at 6%.

Lee also showed strength in head-to-head matchups. In the Korea Research-KBS poll, he led Oh 45%-36%, Hong 46%-36%, Kim 47%-35%, and Han 46%-28%. The Gallup Korea-JoongAng Ilbo poll showed tighter margins, with Lee leading Oh 46%-43%, Hong 45%-42%, Kim 47%-38%, Yoo 42%-35%, and Han 46%-34%.

People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kwon Young-se and floor leader Kwon Sung-dong smile while greeting travelers for the Lunar New Year holiday at Seoul Station in Yongsan District, Seoul, on Jan. 24. /Newsis

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court’s pending decision on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol is drawing strong public interest. Polls indicate that around 60% of respondents support impeachment. The Korea Research International-MBC survey found 58% in favor and 39% opposed. The Korea Research-KBS poll showed 60% supporting impeachment and 36% against. Similar results emerged in the Gallup Korea-JoongAng Ilbo survey (60% in favor, 35% opposed) and an Ipsos-SBS poll (59% in favor, 37% opposed).

Party support remains tightly contested. In the Korea Research International-MBC poll, the Democratic Party held a slight edge at 44% over the People Power Party’s 41%, with the newly formed Rebuilding Korea Party at 4%.

The Gallup Korea-JoongAng Ilbo poll found the People Power Party at 41% and the Democratic Party at 40%, within the margin of error.

The Korea Research-KBS survey reported the Democratic Party at 37%, the People Power Party at 35%, and independents at 14%. Compared to KBS’s New Year poll, the Democratic Party dropped five percentage points (42%→37%), while the People Power Party gained 11 points (24%→35%). The Rebuilding Korea Party stood at 8%, followed by the Reform Party at 3% and The Progressive Party at 1%.

If an early presidential election is held, over half of respondents favored a change in government. The Korea Research International-MBC poll showed 50% supporting a power shift and 44% favoring continuity.

The Gallup Korea-JoongAng Ilbo poll found 51% in favor of a new administration and 42% supporting the ruling party’s continuation. The Korea Research-KBS poll also showed 50% favoring a change and 39% backing the status quo.

Public opinion remains divided on whether the Democratic Party is obstructing governance by frequently pushing for impeachment. The Korea Research International-MBC poll found 51% agreeing that the party is abusing impeachment powers, while 46% saw it as legitimate oversight. The Korea Research-KBS poll showed 47% agreeing with the claim that the party is overusing impeachment and 44% disagreeing.