Major Korean newspapers and broadcasters usually conduct opinion polls on the occasion of New Year’s Day, using the findings for special feature articles and programs. This year, they drew more public attention due to the general election scheduled for April. 

In the political arena, the most salient trend found in the media-sponsored public surveys was the surge in popularity of a party to be launched by independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo.

The figures vary slightly according to pollsters, but many of them found that Ahn’s envisaged party was more popular among voters than the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea.

For instance, the opinion poll released by the Chosun Ibo newspaper showed that 28.7 of its respondents supported the ruling Saenuri Party, while 18.3 percent chose Ahn’s party, and just 16.6 percent plumped for the Minjoo Party. There were polls that found wider gaps between the support rates for Ahn’s party and the Minjoo Party.

There is no doubt that Ahn, a software mogul who calls for changing politics, is drawing many of the about 30 percent voters who are usually undecided until polling day. It is also apparent that Ahn is snatching voters not only from the Minjoo Party but also from the conservative ruling party.

The polls show that Ahn’s party is inflicting the heaviest damage to the Minjoo Party on the main opposition party’s home turf. The same Chosun poll found that 32.6 percent of voters in Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces supported Ahn’s party, compared with 18.5 percent for the Minjoo Party.

Considering that Ahn deserted the Minjoo Party only 20 days ago and his party does not even have a name yet, the surge of public support may well be regarded as a storm.

This phenomenon of course reflects the public’s deep frustration with politicians and the political party system fraught with ideological and regional bipolarization. 

The bipartisan standoff worsened in the current 19th National Assembly, as seen by the long-drawn deadlock over redrawing parliamentary constituencies and other key legislation bills. Moreover, its members have been riddled with corruption, influence-peddling, abusive language and even a sexual assault.

Ahn is certainly taking advantage of the general public’s negative sentiment toward the current politicians and parties and their aspirations to replace those in the establishment with a fresh political force.

Whether Ahn succeeds in fulfilling the public’s aspirations has yet to be seen, but his push for new politics is likely to keep gaining momentum for the time being.

On Sunday, Kim Han-gil, a veteran lawmaker who once led the main opposition party with Ahn, also defected, becoming the ninth lawmaker to do so since Ahn left the party on Dec. 13. More Minjoo Party lawmakers are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.

All in all, Ahn and his envisaged party are expected to gain strength in the lead up to the April 13 parliamentary elections, which will be the first test of their potential to become a healthy, solid alternative political force. It is needless to say that becoming such a force requires more than riding the wave of negative public sentiment toward the establishment.