Kim Dong-yeon, the incumbent Gyeonggi Province governor, leads rivals outside the margin of error in a poll on candidate suitability for the Democratic Party of Korea's nomination ahead of the June local elections.
In the People Power Party (PPP) candidate suitability survey, former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min ranked first within the margin of error despite repeatedly expressing his intention not to run.
The internet media outlet commissioned Jowon C&I and Research & Research to conduct the telephone interview (CATI) poll of 1,000 eligible voters aged 18 and older residing in Gyeonggi Province over two days from April 2 to 3. The results were released on April 4.
Democratic Party Candidate Suitability
According to the results, preliminary candidate Kim Dong-yeon ranked first with 35.0%. Preliminary candidate Chu Mi-ae received 21.5%, preliminary candidate Han Jun-ho received 12.5%, others 0.2%, and "none/don't know" was 30.8%. The gap between the first- and second-place candidates was 13.5 percentage points, outside the margin of error.
In a previous survey conducted on March 16–17 (1,011 respondents; response rate 10.0%; margin of error ±3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level), Kim received 31.0%, Chu 20.3%, and Han 10.8% in Democratic Party candidate suitability. Compared with that survey, Kim rose 4.0 percentage points, Chu rose 1.2 percentage points, and Han rose 1.7 percentage points.
Kim ranked first across all five regional zones. Chu ranked second in all zones, and Han ranked third in all zones.
By age group, Kim ranked first in all age brackets except those in their 40s. Kim led Chu outside the margin of error particularly among voters aged 18–29 (30.1%), in their 30s (26.4%), 50s (35.7%), 60s (48.1%), and 70 and older (45.5%). Chu led Kim outside the margin of error only among voters in their 40s, scoring 37.8% compared with Kim's 26.6%.
By ideological leaning, Kim led among centrists with 40.2%, ahead of Chu (19.6%) outside the margin of error. Among undecided voters who answered "don't know" for ideology, Kim scored 23.6%, ahead of Chu (5.9%). Among progressives, Kim and Chu were in a close race at 34.9% and 36.3%, respectively. Among conservatives, the gap was wide, with Kim at 33.3% and Chu at 9.0%.
By party affiliation, Kim and Chu were in a tight race among Democratic Party supporters, with Kim at 36.3% and Chu at 33.8%. Han scored 18.5%.
Among voters with no party affiliation, Kim scored 27.8%, ahead of Chu (4.4%) and Han (5.3%).
People Power Party Candidate Suitability
For PPP candidate suitability for Gyeonggi governor, former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min scored 28.8% and former Gyeonggi governor Kim Moon-soo scored 22.9%. Despite both steadily expressing their intention not to run, they maintained considerable support within the party.
PPP Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja followed with 3.9%, former lawmaker Ham Jin-gyu with 2.4%, PPP Supreme Council member Cho Gwang-han with 2.1%, others 0.3%, and "none/don't know" 39.5%.
In the March 16–17 survey, former governor Kim Moon-soo scored 26.0% and former lawmaker Yoo 25.6%. Yoo has now overtaken Kim Moon-soo, though the reversal occurred near the boundary of the margin of error (±3.1%).
By region, Yoo led Kim Moon-soo within the margin of error across all five zones.
By age group, Kim Moon-soo led Yoo among voters aged 18–29 (32.6%) and 70 and older (35.3%). Yoo led among voters in their 40s (34.6%), 50s (40.2%), and 60s (30.2%). The two showed similar results among those in their 30s (Yoo 22.7%, Kim Moon-soo 22.3%).
By ideological leaning, Kim Moon-soo led Yoo among conservatives (45.2%) and undecided voters who answered "don't know" (17.7%). Yoo showed stronger competitiveness among progressives (36.4%) and centrists (35.3%).
By party affiliation, among PPP supporters, Kim Moon-soo scored 55.9%, Yoo 14.1%, Yang 5.9%, Ham 0.9%, and Cho 7.0%, with "others" at 0.4% and "none/don't know" at 15.6%.
Among Democratic Party supporters, Yoo scored 40.0%. Among supporters of the Reform Party, a conservative-leaning party, Yoo scored 48.7% and Kim Moon-soo 16.8%. Among voters with no party affiliation, Kim Moon-soo scored 18.9% and Yoo 11.5%.
Gyeonggi Superintendent of Education
In the Gyeonggi Province superintendent of education approval ratings, progressive former lawmaker Ahn Min-seok scored 17.4%, progressive former Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye scored 14.7%, and conservative incumbent Superintendent Im Tae-hee scored 12.6%, forming a three-way race.
Progressive former Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union Gyeonggi branch chief Park Hyo-jin scored 4.9%, progressive former Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation chief Sung Ki-sun scored 4.2%, former Gyeonggi Province council member Lee Hae-mun scored 2.6%, "others" 0.1%, and "none/don't know" 43.5%.
The combined support for progressive candidates significantly exceeded that of conservative incumbent Superintendent Im.
In the previous survey, former minister Yoo scored 16.2%, Superintendent Im 15.1%, and former lawmaker Ahn 14.9%. In this survey, Ahn rose to first place within the margin of error.
Regional Zones Referenced in the Poll
Zone 1: Goyang, Paju, Gimpo
Zone 2: Dongducheon, Yangju, Yeoncheon, Uijeongbu, Pocheon
Zone 3: Gapyeong, Gwangju, Guri, Namyangju, Yangpyeong, Yeoju, Icheon, Hanam
Zone 4: Gwacheon, Gunpo, Seongnam, Suwon, Anseong, Anyang, Yongin, Uiwang
Zone 5: Gwangmyeong, Bucheon, Siheung, Ansan, Osan, Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong
Survey Overview
Population: Male and female residents of Gyeonggi Province aged 18 and older
Sample size: 1,000
Margin of error: ±3.1 percentage points (95% confidence level)
Sampling method: Proportional allocation by gender, age, and region based on resident registration population data as of the end of March 2026, followed by random sampling
Survey method: CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) via mobile virtual numbers
Response rate: 10.0%
Survey period: April 2–3, 2026 (2 days)
Survey firms: Jowon C&I / Research & Research
