Learn Korean: Understanding Election Poll Numbers and Margins

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Korean Reading Practice

전재수 47.4% 박형준 41.5%... 하정우 34%...

Date: May 26, 2026

Introduction

This article discusses recent political polling data from South Korea showing support levels for various candidates in upcoming elections. The text focuses on approval ratings, margin of error in surveys, and how different candidates are performing across different electoral races. Understanding polling terminology and election-related vocabulary is essential for following Korean news about politics.

Vocabulary

Korean Romanization Meaning Example
후보 hubo candidate 그 후보는 매우 유명해요.That candidate is very famous.
지지도 jijido approval rating; support level 최근 지지도가 올라갔어요.The approval rating went up recently.
격차 gyeokcha gap; difference 두 후보의 격차는 크지 않아요.The gap between the two candidates is not large.
오차범위 ocha beomwi margin of error 오차범위 안에서 비슷해요.They are similar within the margin of error.
조사 josa survey; investigation 여론조사를 했어요.They conducted a poll.
포인트 pointeu point (percentage point) 5%포인트 차이가 나요.There is a 5 percentage point difference.
양자대결 yangja daegyeol one-on-one matchup 양자대결 조사를 봤어요.I saw the one-on-one matchup poll.
기초단체 gicho danche local government unit 기초단체장 선거가 있어요.There is a local government election.
보궐선거 bogyeol seongeo by-election 부산에서 보궐선거가 열렸어요.A by-election was held in Busan.
무소속 musosok independent (no party affiliation) 그 후보는 무소속이에요.That candidate is independent.
집계 jipgye tabulation; tallying of results 투표 결과를 집계했어요.They tallied the voting results.
추격 chugyeok to chase; to pursue closely 3위 후보가 추격하고 있어요.The third-place candidate is pursuing closely.

Reading Text

최근 여론조사에서 두 명의 주요 후보가 높은 지지도를 보였습니다.

In a recent poll, two major candidates showed strong approval ratings.

전 후보의 지지도는 47.4%이고 박 후보의 지지도는 41.5%로 나타났습니다.

Former candidate showed 47.4% support while Park candidate received 41.5%.

이 두 후보 사이의 격차는 5.9%포인트로, 조사의 오차범위인 3.1%포인트 안에 들어갑니다.

The gap between these two candidates is 5.9 percentage points, which falls within the survey's margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

지난달에 실시한 양자대결 조사에서는 두 후보의 격차가 훨씬 더 컸습니다.

In a one-on-one matchup poll conducted last month, the gap between the two candidates was much larger.

기초단체장 선거의 여러 경주에서 민주당 후보들이 국민의힘 후보들보다 더 앞서고 있는 것으로 보입니다.

In various local government races, Democratic Party candidates appear to be ahead of People Power Party candidates.

부산 북갑 보궐선거에서는 무소속 한 후보가 38.2%로 가장 높고, 민주당 하 후보가 34%입니다.

In the Busan North Gap by-election, independent Han candidate leads with 38.2%, while Democratic Party Ha candidate has 34%.

국민의힘 박민식 후보는 23.3%로 3위를 기록했으며, 최근 19%로 추격하고 있습니다.

People Power Party Park Min-sik candidate placed third with 23.3% and is currently pursuing with 19%.

Cultural Notes

South Korea holds regular elections at multiple levels of government, including presidential, parliamentary, and local elections. The concept of "보궐선거" (by-elections) occurs when a seat becomes vacant before the regular election cycle, which is not uncommon in Korean politics due to various circumstances. Understanding polling data and election terminology is important in Korean culture because political participation and awareness of current events are highly valued in society, with news about elections frequently dominating media coverage and everyday conversations.

Source: 네이버 뉴스 | Original Article
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📝 Comprehension Questions

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Q1

What is the approval rating difference between the first and second-place candidates in the main poll, and does it fall within the margin of error?

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Q2

According to the text, which party's candidates are generally performing better in the local government races?

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Q3

In the Busan North Gap by-election, which candidate has the highest support and what is their approval rating?

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Q4

What was the gap between the two candidates in the one-on-one matchup poll from last month?

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Q5

What is the current status of the third-place candidate in the Busan by-election?

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