People Power Party interim leader Kim Yong-tae (center) covers his mouth with his hands as he watches the exit polls at the National Assembly Library, where their vote-counting command center was set up, on Tuesday. Yonhap
People Power Party interim leader Kim Yong-tae (center) covers his mouth with his hands as he watches the exit polls at the National Assembly Library, where their vote-counting command center was set up, on Tuesday. Yonhap

Members of the conservative People Power Party expressed disappointment Tuesday evening after exit polls showed Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung holding a clear lead in the presidential election.

According to the polls released by three major broadcasters around 8 p.m., Lee was projected to earn 51.7 percent of the vote against People Power Party conservative Kim Moon-soo's 39.3 percent.

The results were initially met with silence from party members watching the broadcast live at the National Assembly Library, where their vote-counting command center was set up. People Power Party interim leader Kim Yong-tae then sighed as he covered his mouth with his hands.

Several Kim Moon-soo supporters and Kim Yong-tae left the premises within an hour of the exit poll announcement.

Shin Dong-wook, a senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, said that the exit polls fell short of their expectations, but added that they plan to “humbly accept” the people’s choice.

“While the Democratic Party decided on its candidate early on and was able to focus on the election campaign, I believe we disappointed the people through our candidate merger process,” Shin explained.

Shin also cited a “lack of time” to promote Kim’s “clean” and ethical image compared to Lee. “We should have made it sufficiently known to the people that the Democratic Party’s rise to power would technically lead to dictatorship, while legislative, judicial and executive powers would be centered around (one man),” he added.


mkjung@heraldcorp.com