Lee's Approval Drops Below 40% Amid Four Controversies | WPN World People News

According to the latest poll by the South Korean polling agency Realmeter, President Lee Jae-myung’s job approval rating has dropped to 38.9%, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous week. This marks a seven-week consecutive decline and the first time his approval rating has fallen below the 40% mark, hitting a record low since he took office in June last year. Meanwhile, his disapproval rating rose to 58.7%, remaining outside the margin of error for the fifth consecutive week. Regionally, the most significant drop was seen in the Daejeon, Chungcheong, and Sejong areas, plummeting by 8.5 percentage points in a single week. The loss of support among the 40-to-50 age demographic was also highly notable.

Analysts point out that the Lee administration is currently grappling with four major controversies converging simultaneously. First, real estate policies and housing price issues continue to fuel public discontent. Second, judicial and constitutional disputes have emerged due to the blocked appointments of Supreme Court justice nominees. Third, a major missing person case on Jeju Island has exposed public distrust in the police and the public security system. Finally, internal conflicts have arisen within the ruling bloc, triggered by politicians' gaffes and ideological divisions. The intertwining of these multiple negative factors has been a primary driver of the continued slump in Lee's approval ratings.

In terms of political party support, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea garnered a 43.1% approval rating, a slight increase of 1.2 percentage points from the previous week, while the main opposition People Power Party held steady at 37.7%. Analysts believe that although the Democratic Party has temporarily stabilized its base by consolidating its political platform and focusing on livelihood issues, the continuous decline in Lee’s personal approval indicates that public doubts regarding the government's performance have yet to be dispelled. Whether the administration can effectively address the controversies surrounding housing prices, the judiciary, and public security will be a crucial test in salvaging its reputation.