Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung is in a tight race to retain his parliamentary seat in the upcoming April elections against his contender from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), a poll showed Monday.

Support for Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), came to 43 percent, versus 35 percent of former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong of the PPP for the Gyeyang-B constituency of Incheon, west of Seoul, within a margin error of 4.4 percentage points, according to a survey conducted by K-stat Research, commissioned by the Chosun Ilbo daily and TV Chosun.

The poll was carried out over the weekend on 500 respondents aged over 18.

The Gyeyang-B district has drawn attention as one of the key constituencies in the April 10 elections, as Lee is competing to keep his seat at the National Assembly and Won, a former three-term lawmaker, has set out to challenge Lee in the district regarded as a traditional DP stronghold.

The Gyeyang-B district showed a 42 percent support rate for the DP and 34 percent
for the PPP in terms of party preference.

In the Bundang-A constituency, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the PPP was ahead of his DP rival, Lee Kwang-jae, with 40 percent versus 36 percent.

Former Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu, competing in a Suwon constituency, had a 33 percent support rate, a little behind his DP contender Kim Young-jin’s 35 percent, the poll showed.

Source: Yonhap News Agency