Candidates, voters far apart on some issues

[Last in a series] How the 10 issues the JoongAng Ilbo presented as the major points in this year's presidential election are handled will differ greatly depending on which candidate is elected to the Blue House. The Korean language newspaper, which owns the JoongAng Daily, surveyed major candidates and voters on the issues on Nov. 1 and 2. More than 1,000 registered voters responded. The issues include Korea's health care system, plans to implement a five-day workweek, the male-oriented family registry system, capital gains taxes and regional economic development.

Major contenders differed from the majority of the voters surveyed on a number of key issues, including the health care system and education.

Lee Hoi-chang, candidate of the Grand National Party, promised to overhaul the current health care system, which strictly separates the role of doctors and pharmacists, if he wins the election. Two out of every three respondents agreed on his position, calling for amendments to the system.

Mr. Lee wants to suspend economic aid to North Korea, but continue humanitarian aid and inter-Korean exchanges in the private sector. Sixty percent of the respondents who supported Mr. Lee, however, advocated a hard-line on the North. Almost half of the pollees wanted aid to the North.

The GNP candidate also promised to revamp the current education system, which provides roughly the same education in all schools, contrary to the wishes of more than half of his supporters. His plan to strengthen restrictions on the development of greenbelt areas drew only 36 percent support from his supporters.

The current education system would be preserved and temporary workers would receive better treatment under policies advocated by Roh Moo-hyun, candidate of the Millennium Democratic Party. Forty percent of those surveyed who said they supported Mr. Roh approved of his education policies, and 58 percent agreed with his labor policy.

The candidate said he would keep the basic principles of the health care system intact, but just 13 percent of his supporters endorsed the policy. As for continuing the Kim Dae-jung administration's policy of engaging the North, half of Mr. Roh's supporters endorsed the policy and half opposed it.

Lifting restrictions in the greenbelt areas would be easier if Chung Mong-joon, candidate of the National Unity 21, won the election. Half of the respondents endorsed the idea, which Mr. Chung has backed. The candidate has promised to suspend economic aid to the North, but continue humanitarian aid. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents advocated the idea. But 40 percent of those who said they back Mr. Chung advocated continuing economic and humanitarian aid to the North.

The polls also found that there is a large group of voters who demand liberal policies not fully represented by mainstream politicians. Kwon Young-ghil, candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, drew 2 percent support in the poll, but his policies on the 10 major issues presented won an average of 23 percent support. Mr. Kwon, who is backed by a coalition of left-wing politicians and labor unions, hopes his could become the first progressive party to enter the Blue House. Thirty-five percent of the respondents advocated Mr. Kwon's proposal to continue economic aid to the North and hold inter-Korean talks to urge the North to give up its nuclear weapons program.

by Special reporting team