Lee maintains narrow lead in poll

Lee Hoi-chang of the Grand National Party and independent lawmaker Chung Mong-joon would lead a very tight race if the presidential election were held now, according to a JoongAng Ilbo survey. Mr. Lee with 34.7 percent support from a sampling of 1,036 people surveyed on Tuesday, was followed by Mr. Chung with 30.9 percent support. Mr. Lee's lead was narrower than the poll's 5 percent margin of error. In a similar JoongAng Ilbo poll last week, Mr. Lee led Mr. Chung by 6.1 percent.

Roh Moo-hyun, presidential candidate of the Millennium Democratic Party, won 18.5 percent support, followed by Kwon Young-ghil of the Democratic Labor Party with 2.5 percent and independent candidate Lee Han-dong, a former prime minister, with 0.9 percent. The remainder of the respondents said they would not support any of the five candidates.

The survey found that Mr. Chung may have a better chance of winning the race if he were to run as a candidate of a coalition of the Millennium Democrats and other minor parties. In a hypothetical two-way race, Mr. Chung gathered 39.5 percent support while Mr. Lee won 38.8 percent. Mr. Lee would win -- 44.4 percent to 30.9 percent -- if he faced Mr. Roh in a two-way race.

If Mr. Roh bows out of the race, the poll found 46.7 percent of his supporters would turn to Mr. Chung and 11.1 percent to Mr. Lee. If Mr. Chung withdraws, 29.9 percent would support Mr. Roh and 20.7 percent Mr. Lee.

The poll suggested that Mr. Lee's support base is strong among natives of the Gyeongsang and Chungcheong provinces, while Mr. Chung appeals most to natives of Seoul and Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. Mr. Roh strongest support lies in natives of the Jeolla provinces.

Voters over age 40 supported Mr. Lee and Mr. Chung drew heavily on voters in their 20s and 30s.

More than half of the respondents said they support no political party.

by Ahn Boo-keun