As the political influence of Koreans in their 20s and 30s continues to grow, the Democratic Party of Korea has been unable to find a breakthrough in securing support among younger voters. The conservative shift among young people, long considered a traditional base for progressives, has continued, while even young voters leaving the People Power Party are not moving toward the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party has recently been working to court younger voters, but its approval ratings remain stuck in a range of around 20 percent.
An analysis of Realmeter polling trends over the past three weeks, released on the 17th, showed that the Democratic Party has failed to generate a clear rebound among younger voters. Support among people in their 20s recorded 23.3%, 22.1% and 29.8%, while over the same period the People Power Party stood at 53.6%, 46.5% and 46.6%. Although the Democratic Party rebounded in the final poll, it still remained below 30%, and the gap with the People Power Party reached 16.8 percentage points. Among people in their 30s, the Democratic Party likewise stayed at 23.5%, 27.8% and 26.1%, while the People Power Party maintained a level above 50% at 53.6%, 52.5% and 52.4%, showing a gap of 26.3 percentage points.
Even as the People Power Party's support among younger voters declined, the Democratic Party did not fully absorb it. In the first week of July, Realmeter's poll showed the People Power Party's support among people in their 20s fell 7 percentage points from the first survey, but over the same period the Democratic Party actually declined, from 23.3% to 22.1%. Although the Democratic Party rebounded in the final poll, the People Power Party still maintained a level in the 46% range, showing the limits of narrowing the gap. Among people in their 30s as well, the Democratic Party failed to sustain an upward trend even as the People Power Party's support fell slightly.
A similar trend appeared in Gallup Korea polls, where conservative responses tend to come in relatively lower. Among people in their 20s, the Democratic Party recorded 20%, 32% and 21%, while the People Power Party recorded 28%, 28% and 24%. The People Power Party fell 4 percentage points in the final poll, but the Democratic Party also plunged 11 percentage points from the previous survey, failing to gain any advantage. Political analysts say that young voters leaving the People Power Party are dispersing to the ranks of independents or a third bloc rather than moving to the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party has been unable to hide its sense of crisis. Concerns have emerged that its support base has weakened further as even the sentiment of women in their 20s and 30s, classified as a Democratic stronghold in local elections, has begun to waver. The Democratic Party recently held a forum under the theme of "Why do people in their 20s and 30s not support the Democratic Party?" to diagnose the causes of the youth exodus. At the forum, voices of reflection were heard, saying, "The Democratic Party did not properly understand the generation in their 20s and 30s."
Controversy has also continued over expanding young people's participation in party politics. During the recent preparations for the party convention, a plan to establish a separate elected youth supreme council member was rejected at a supreme council meeting, prompting criticism that the party may lack the will to win over younger voters.
