Lee's approval rating hits record low as South Korean decline extends

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung saw his approval rating plunge to a record low of 40.2% this week, extending its decline for a sixth consecutive week amid mounting public dissatisfaction over housing policies and security decisions, according to a Realmeter poll released Monday.

Record low approval

The survey, conducted from Aug. 18-21 among 2,026 adults, indicated that Lee's approval rating dropped 2.8 percentage points from the previous week. His disapproval rating simultaneously climbed by the same margin to 56.9%, according to the Korea Herald.

Realmeter attributed the downturn to growing public distrust regarding the administration's housing policies, ongoing political clashes over judicial and constitutional matters, and security concerns following the reduction of South Korea-US joint military exercises. The polling agency also noted weakening support among conservative voters and citizens aged 70 and above.

Party support shifts

A separate Realmeter survey of 1,009 adults conducted Aug. 20-21 revealed that support for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea fell 6 percentage points to 41.9%. Support for the opposition People Power Party rose 4.5 points to 37.6%, narrowing the gap between the two parties. Both surveys utilized wireless automated response systems, with the presidential poll carrying a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.