Bulldozer vs political heiress, S Korea vote close

SEOUL, Aug 17 (Reuters) The fight to be the South Korean conservative party's presidential candidate, widely seen as effectively choosing the country's next leader, could be a close run, according to an opinion poll published.

The poll, conducted by the Hankook Ilbo daily, showed Park Geun-hye, daughter of a military dictator many credit for starting South Korea's economic boom, cutting into the lead of her main rival in Sunday's presidential primary by the opposition Grand National Party (GNP).

The narrowing gap comes amid suggestions by state prosecutors that front-runner and former construction company boss Lee Myung-bak - sometimes nicknamed the ''bulldozer'' for his passion for public projects - was involved in a shady land deal in the mid-1990s. He denies any wrongdoing.

The poll published yesterday showed Lee with 44.5 percent support and Park at 37.2 per cent, largely in line with other polls this week that showed assassinated former President Park Chung-hee's daughter was picking up support in the final days before the vote.

The margin-of-error in the poll was 3.1 per cent.

Whoever triumphs is almost certain to win December's presidential election, according to opinion polls, which show the most popular left-of-centre candidates barely able to scrape up 5 per cent support.

That is widely seen as a reflection of the unpopularity of the outgoing and left-leaning President Roh Moo-hyun, whose support rate has mostly been below 30 percent for more than a year.

MEDDLING IN POLITICS Angry officials with both the GNP candidates have accused the prosecutor's office of meddling in politics under the influence of the presidential Blue House.

Prosecutors have not clearly explained why the investigation of a 12-year-old land deal should have gone public so close to the GNP primary.

Nor have they directly accused Lee, but have tantalisingly put forward an unnamed ''third person'' as having transgressed in a deal involving Lee relatives.

But one official in the Lee camp said the candidate's popularity rating was so high that the allegations would do little to damage his chances of replacing Roh who has struggled to win support for his policies.

''Voters think about the future and the economy. They don't want to talk about the past. Lee's minor defects won't be a big problem,'' he said, pointing out that Lee had repeatedly weathered suggestions of dubious business deals in the past.

There is little in terms of policy to separate the two candidates.

Lee and Park both promise a pro-business climate if they take office, with deregulation, tax incentives and a tougher line with reclusive North Korea if it misbehaves.

Widely praised during his time a Seoul mayor for projects to beautify the city's bland skyline, the 65-year-old Lee's popularity rests heavily on his image as a person who can get things done.

A pet theme is his promise of government backing for a billion dollar project to build a waterway from Seoul to the main southern port of Busan.

A lot of Park's popularity rests on memories of her father, the country's longest-serving president, who took power in a 1961 coup and created the conditions that turned South Korea into an economic powerhouse and ruled until he was shot dead by his spy chief 18 years later.

Park, 55, acted as his first lady for his last five years in office after her mother was killed by an assassin's bullet meant for the president. But she also won praise for her role in raising the standing of the GNP when she served as party leader.

Reuters SZ VP0430