Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) climbed to third place among contenders vying for next year's presidential election, a poll showed Monday.

In the two-day poll on 1,003 voters nationwide conducted by the Korea Society Opinion Institute from Friday, Hong garnered approval of 13.6 percent, up 4.2 percentage points from a week ago.

Hong, widely considered an underdog contender, managed to overtake Rep. Lee Nak-yon, the former head of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), who recorded support of 11.7 percent, to claim the third spot for the first time in the institute's poll.

A former prosecutor-turned-politician and a five-term legislator, Hong competed in the 2017 election as the main opposition's candidate and lost to President Moon Jae-in.

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung of the DP and former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl of the PPP led the poll, scoring approval of 28 percent and 26.4 percent, respectively, and continuing their close battle within the poll's margin of error.

Choe Jae-hyeong, former chief state auditor, finished fourth with 4.1 percent, followed by former PPP lawmaker Yoo Seong-min and ex-Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, with 3.7 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

Of the respondents, 49.8 percent supported the win of an opposition candidate to achieve a change of administration, while 42.7 percent favored the election of a ruling party candidate for a succession of the current government.

The poll, commissioned by radio broadcaster TBS, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points and a 95 percent confidence level. (Yonhap)