Lead

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has slipped to 66 percent, according to the latest National Barometer Survey (NBS) conducted by four polling agencies. This marks the second consecutive decline from the record high of 69 percent that Lee held for three straight surveys in March and April.

The poll, conducted from Monday to Wednesday, shows that 66 percent of respondents assessed Lee's performance positively, down 1 percentage point from two weeks earlier. Negative assessments rose by 1 percentage point to 24 percent.

Coverage Comparison

Two separate reports from Yonhap News Agency, dated May 7 and May 21, provide slightly different figures for the president's approval rating and party support. The earlier report, published on May 7, puts Lee's approval at 67 percent with a 23 percent negative rating. The later report, published on May 21, shows a further decline to 66 percent and a negative rating of 24 percent.

Differences also appear in the party approval numbers. In the May 7 survey, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) led the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) by 28 percentage points (46 percent vs. 18 percent). Two weeks later, that gap narrowed to 25 percentage points, with DP support at 45 percent and PPP at 20 percent.

While the direction of the trends is consistent across both reports, the exact numbers vary due to the different polling periods. Both reports are based on surveys conducted by the same four pollsters: Embrain Public, Kstat Research, Korea Research, and Hankook Research.

Key Claims

  • President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell to 67 percent in the May 7 report, then to 66 percent in the May 21 report, according to both Yonhap articles.
  • The positive assessment of Lee's performance dipped 1 percentage point in the May 21 survey, while negative assessments rose by 1 percentage point, as reported by Yonhap.
  • The ruling Democratic Party leads the opposition People Power Party by 28 percentage points in the May 7 poll and by 25 percentage points in the May 21 poll, according to both reports.
  • Support for the DP fell from 46 percent to 45 percent between the two polls, while PPP support rose from 18 percent to 20 percent, per Yonhap.
  • In the May 7 survey, 54 percent of respondents said voters should support the DP for stability, while 32 percent favored backing the opposition to keep the government in check. In the May 21 survey, those figures were 52 percent and 31 percent, respectively, as reported by Yonhap.

Perspectives

The decline in Lee's approval rating, while modest, comes at a critical time ahead of the June 3 local elections. The poll also indicates that the ruling DP maintains a comfortable lead over the opposition PPP, though the gap has narrowed slightly. The surveys suggest that a majority of voters prioritize stability, favoring the ruling party, but a significant minority supports the opposition as a check on government power.

Both Yonhap reports frame the news neutrally, focusing on the statistical changes without offering causal explanations. The polling data was provided by four major pollsters, and the margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

As the local elections approach, these numbers will be closely watched for any further shifts in public sentiment. The trend of a slight decline in presidential approval and a narrowing party gap, while still in the DP's favor, could influence campaign strategies in the final days before the vote.