Kang Sung-hwi, a preliminary candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, has taken first place outside the margin of error in a poll for the Mokpo mayoral race in South Jeolla Province ahead of the June 3 local elections, capturing both party and public support.
According to a survey commissioned by KBS Gwangju Broadcasting Bureau to Gallup Korea and conducted from March 23 to 24, Kang recorded a candidate preference rating of 31%, leading preliminary candidate Lee Ho-gyun at 20% outside the margin of error, the results released on the 28th showed. Former Mayor Park Hong-ryul followed at 18%, Park Yong-an at 3%, Yoon Seon-woong at 2%, and Yeo In-du at 2%.
In a narrower survey limited to Democratic Party candidates, Kang led decisively with 42% compared to Lee's 29%, a gap of 13 percentage points.
The survey was conducted via telephone interviews with 500 Mokpo residents, with a response rate of 20.0%. A separate survey by Mokpo News was conducted during the same period with 502 respondents using a wireless ARS (automated response system) method.
The survey targeted 500 men and women aged 18 and older residing in Mokpo, randomly selected from virtual wireless phone numbers provided by mobile carriers, and was conducted through telephone interviewer interviews with a response rate of 20.0%. Weighting was applied by gender, age, and region based on Ministry of the Interior and Safety resident registration data as of the end of 2026. The margin of error is ±4.4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Further details can be found on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.
As Kang has emerged as a standout in the polls, concerns are growing over a muddied campaign, with already-verified matters being dragged back into controversy.
In response, Kang said in a statement, "The 'poll manipulation allegations' raised by certain candidates' camps were already concluded as unfounded following an investigation by the South Jeolla Province Election Commission." He added, "They are politically exploiting an issue that did not even result in a formal complaint being filed."
Kang stated that legal action against negative attacks that cross the line is unavoidable. "It is undesirable for this important election that will determine Mokpo's future to devolve into groundless allegations and negative mudslinging," he said. "Let's compete fairly, centering on policy and vision."
