Poll: 63% Believe President Should Declare No Re-election Bid to Avoid Constitutional Debate Controversy

A significant majority of South Koreans believe President Lee Jae-myung should publicly renounce any intention of seeking re-election to preempt controversy surrounding potential constitutional amendments, according to a national poll released on August 27.

The survey, conducted by Embrain Public, Kstat Research, Korea Research, and Hankook Research among 1,001 adults aged 18 and over, found that 63% agreed with the statement that the president should declare he will not run in the next presidential election to prevent discussions about constitutional reform from escalating into unnecessary disputes. Only 28% disagreed. Notably, even among supporters of the Democratic Party, 51% agreed with this sentiment, while 41% disagreed, indicating a nuanced view within the party base.

The poll also highlighted public dissatisfaction with the government's real estate policies. When asked about the effectiveness of the 'August 13th Real Estate Measures' in stabilizing housing prices, 57% of respondents predicted they would have little effect, compared to 34% who believed they would be effective. Regarding housing supply strategies, 59% favored easing regulations on reconstruction and redevelopment to boost private sector supply, while 29% supported increasing public housing supply by utilizing urban sites like Yongsan Park.

President Lee Jae-myung's job performance rating saw a slight increase, with 50% approving and 43% disapproving. This marks a marginal shift from two weeks prior, when the approval rating was 49% and disapproval was 43%. The findings suggest a public desire for clarity on the presidential succession issue and ongoing concerns about economic and housing stability.

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To prevent the constitutional amendment discussions from spreading into unnecessary controversy, President Lee should declare his intention not to run in the next presidential election.