Lee Jae-myung's approval rating plummets for fourth week, hits new low

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating has hit a new low, falling to 43.3% and marking the fourth consecutive week of decline. The latest poll from Realmeter, conducted between August 3-7 among 2,514 adults, also showed his disapproval rating rising to 53%.

Realmeter attributed the slump to several contentious issues. These include the government's introduction of new real estate tax rules, the passage of revised criminal procedure laws that strip prosecutors of investigative powers, and President Lee's comments on the risk of military coups, which he urged to be addressed swiftly. The ongoing heatwave and growing economic uncertainties were also cited as contributing factors.

In terms of party support, the ruling Democratic Party saw its rating dip 0.5 percentage points to 44.6%. The main opposition People Power Party also experienced a slight decrease, falling 0.1 percentage points to 37.6%. The poll has a 95% confidence level with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points for the presidential approval rating and 3.1 percentage points for party support.