“MY BEST quality is that I am persistent. My worst is that I am no fun.” Moon Jae-in’s assessment of himself in “South Korea Asks”, a series of interviews published in January, is one with which many South Koreans, whether they like or loathe…
“MY BEST quality is that I am persistent. My worst is that I am no fun.” Moon Jae-in’s assessment of himself in “South Korea Asks”, a series of interviews published in January, is one with which many South Koreans, whether they like or loathe him, would probably agree. Most have an opinion of him. He has been in the political arena for well over a decade, as chief of staff to the late liberal president Roh Moo-hyun from 2003 to 2008; then as a presidential candidate himself in 2012, when he lost a two-way race to Park Geun-hye, by 48% to 52%.
Ms Park’s term came to an early end on March 10th when the constitutional court upheld a motion parliament approved in December to impeach her. The country now faces a snap presidential election on May 9th. After almost a decade of conservative rule, the ballot looks likely to be a victory for the more socially liberal Minjoo party: its support is the highest it has ever been, at 50%. Mr Moon, who led the party until January last year, has topped the polls for president for almost three months. The latest sounding puts his support at 35% in a crowded field.
That is more than twice the level of the next-most-popular contenders, An Chul-soo of the People’s Party and Ahn Hee-jung, another Minjoo candidate. Lee Jae-myung, the Minjoo mayor of Seongnam, a city south of Seoul, became known as the “fizzy drink” candidate, thanks to his tendency to make attention-grabbing remarks. He shot up the polls in December, as discontent with Ms Park peaked, before losing some of his effervescence. But he is still ahead of the best-polling conservative, Hong Joon-pyo, who musters only 8%.
The election consists of just one round, with no minimum threshold for victory. The four biggest parties are all planning to field a candidate, as are several smaller ones. Party primaries must be concluded by April 16th. In Minjoo’s, which takes place in four regional stages, two of which are complete, all voters may cast ballots regardless of party affiliation. So far, Mr Moon is well ahead. And in the election proper, it is hard to imagine Mr Moon’s opponents coalescing with enough enthusiasm around one of the other candidates to deny him the presidency.
If he is elected, Mr Moon would bring change.
