Based on a two-day opinion poll of some 4,000 respondents, consisting of PPP supporters and undecided voters, conducted earlier this week, after last week's series of debates in which the candidates outlined their agendas and visions for the presidency, the PPP narrowed down the number of candidates from eight to four: IT tycoon-turned-politician Ahn Cheol-soo, former party leader Han Dong-hoon, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo.
Former Governor of North Gyeongsang Province Lee Cheol-woo, five-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won, former Samsung executive Yang Hyang-ja, former Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok were eliminated from the race.
The survey results were tallied in the presence of representatives from each candidate, with exact vote counts and rankings being undisclosed.
The PPP plans to conduct another poll later this week, with half the votes coming from party members and the rest from other voters, to determine its final candidate.
If no candidate secures a majority, the top two will face off early next month to decide the PPP's final candidate by May 3, who is widely expected to compete against Lee Jae-myung, former party leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), who remains far ahead of other candidates in most opinion polls.
The snap presidential election, set for June 3, comes due to the impeachment of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law late last year.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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