Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has plummeted to the lowest level since he took office, marking the ninth consecutive week of decline, a recent poll revealed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the survey conducted by Realmeter, commissioned by the EKN newspaper, involved 2,515 adults from Monday to Friday. It found that only 33.8 percent of respondents positively assessed President Lee's handling of state affairs, a decrease of 3.6 percentage points from the previous week. Conversely, his disapproval rating has surged by 3.8 percentage points, reaching 63.3 percent.
Realmeter attributed the declining approval rating to several controversial issues, including the recent Cabinet reshuffle, potential military deployments to the Strait of Hormuz, and uncertainties surrounding real estate policies. A significant drop in support was noted among liberal voters and individuals in their 20s, with those aged 18 to 29 showing a decrease of 10.2 percentage points in support.
The controversy surrounding Lee's Cabinet picks has been a focal point. Rep. Yong Hye-in, nominated as the new minister of gender equality, resigned amid allegations of nepotism and her plans to keep her seat in the National Assembly despite her Cabinet appointment. Additionally, Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won is embroiled in allegations of illicit lobbying for a COVID-19 treatment approval in 2021.
The survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level, highlighted the growing challenges facing President Lee's administration.
In another poll by the same organization, support for the ruling Democratic Party decreased by 5.7 percentage points to 36.1 percent, while the main opposition People Power Party saw a rise in support by 4.5 percentage points, reaching 42.1 percent. This poll surveyed 1,003 individuals aged 18 and older on Thursday and Friday, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.