In other words, a vote for one Kim is effectively a vote for the other one. Small wonder that longtime supporters of both men feel conflicted. The nation's economic crisis may have given voters reason to examine the Kims' odd alliance and its protocols more closely. The next president probably must begin a total reorganization of the economy if Korea is to continue competing on a global scale. And a collapse in North Korea is conceivable during his term, meaning the whole country may have to be reconstituted.
Polls show that the idea is unpopular.
In Je can somehow gain new support and take momentum away from the Lee-Cho team. For months Rhee ranked second, but the bottom began to fall out of his candidacy as the economic picture darkened. He currently trails the other two by about 10 percentage points. Now that the main rationale for his candidacy, the supposed unpopularity of Lee, has all but evaporated, Rhee is under increasing pressure to drop out in favor of the ruling party's man. If that happens, it would almost certainly kill D.J.'s chances of winning the presidency on his fourth try.