Lead

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating edged down to 48.4 percent this week after rising for two consecutive weeks, a survey showed Monday. The poll, conducted by Realmeter and commissioned by the EKN newspaper, found that the positive assessment of Lee's job performance fell 0.5 percentage point from a week before.

The weekly survey, conducted on 2,007 people aged 18 and older from Monday to Thursday, had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. Lee's disapproval rating rose 0.3 percentage point to 48 percent.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from Yonhap News — English covering the same period show different figures for Lee's approval rating across successive weeks, reflecting the poll's weekly fluctuations and the different factors cited by Realmeter.

A report from July 13 said Lee's approval rating climbed for the second straight week to 48.9 percent, up 1.9 percentage points from the previous week. The negative assessment fell 1.5 percentage points to 47.7 percent. Realmeter attributed the rise to Lee's diplomatic and security achievements, including his participation in the NATO summit and bilateral meetings on the sidelines that elevated South Korea-NATO defense cooperation.

A report from July 27 said Lee's approval rating dropped to 46.3 percent, marking its second straight weekly decline. The positive assessment fell 2.1 percentage points, while the negative assessment rose 1.5 percentage points to 49.5 percent. Realmeter attributed the decline to a controversy surrounding the sale of Lee's apartment and his remarks suggesting higher property holding taxes, as well as a sharp drop in the stock market.

A report from Aug. 3 said Lee's approval rating fell to the lowest level since he took office in June last year. Positive assessment fell 0.4 percentage point to 45.9 percent, marking the third consecutive week of falls. Negative assessment rose 1 percentage point to 50.5 percent, surpassing the 50 percent mark for the first time. The pollster attributed the decline to sharp declines in the stock market and controversy over a possible constitutional amendment allowing a president to seek reelection.

The current report's figure of 48.4 percent for the week of July 20 represents a rebound from the 46.3 percent recorded the previous week, but a decline from the 48.9 percent peak seen in the second week of July.

Key Claims

  • Realmeter attributed the decline in Lee's approval rating to a series of negative factors, including the central bank's policy rate hike and a sharp stock market drop.
  • Tensions within the ruling party over stripping the prosecution of supplementary investigation powers also drove down support among voters in their 40s and liberal voters, according to the pollster.
  • In a separate survey by the same pollster, support for the ruling Democratic Party fell 1.7 percentage points to 43.1 percent, while support for the main opposition People Power Party rose 1.9 percentage points to 40 percent.
  • Lee's approval rating had stood at 46.5 percent in the last week of June before rising to 47 percent and 48.9 percent in the first and second weeks of July, respectively.