Key facts
- President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell to 52% this week.
- This is the second consecutive weekly decline in his approval rating.
- Disapproval of his performance rose to 37%.
- Diplomacy and the economy were cited as reasons for positive assessments.
- Economic concerns, including currency and real estate policy, were cited for negative assessments.
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has declined for the second consecutive week, reaching 52 percent in a recent poll. The survey, conducted by Gallup Korea among 1,003 adults aged 18 and older from Tuesday to Thursday, showed a 1 percentage point drop from the previous week. This marks a continued decrease from the 54 percent recorded two weeks prior.
Concurrently, the percentage of respondents who disapproved of Lee's performance in managing state affairs increased by 2 percentage points to 37 percent. Eleven percent of those surveyed declined to provide an answer. When asked about the reasons for their positive assessments, approximately one-fifth of respondents cited diplomacy, while 19 percent pointed to the economy and people's livelihoods. Conversely, economic concerns, including the weak South Korean won and the president's real estate policies, were among the primary reasons given by those with unfavorable views.
Support for Lee's administration varied by region, with the highest backing in the southwestern Gwangju and Jeolla regions at 77 percent, and 47 percent in Seoul. The approval ratings were strongest among those in their 40s and 50s (68 percent), while younger adults (18-29) and those over 70 gave lower ratings of 38 percent and 39 percent, respectively. The ruling Democratic Party's approval rating also fell by 2 percentage points to 40 percent, while the main opposition People Power Party saw its rating increase by 2 percentage points to 26 percent.