President Lee's approval rating dips for 4th week; ruling party overtakes opposition

President Lee's approval rating has fallen for the fourth consecutive week, now standing at 51.5%, according to a Realmeter poll released on June 15. This decline coincides with a significant drop in support for the Democratic Party, which has reached its lowest point under the current administration, falling to 38%. Conversely, the People Power Party has seen its support climb to a record high of 44.3% during this administration, establishing a lead of 6.3 percentage points over the Democratic Party, outside the margin of error.

The poll, conducted from June 8-12 among 2,515 voters nationwide, indicates a nationwide drop in approval for President Lee, with the largest decrease observed in the Gwangju-Jeolla region (down 8.1 percentage points). Support also declined in Daejeon-Chungcheong-Sejong, Gyeonggi-Incheon, and Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam. By age group, those in their 50s saw the steepest decline (down 5.9 percentage points), while the 18-29 age bracket also experienced a notable drop. Notably, students were the only demographic to show a significant increase in approval.

Realmeter attributed the President's declining approval to the fallout from the June 3 local elections, citing ballot shortages and counting errors that have fueled public criticism and calls for accountability from the National Election Commission. Persistent economic challenges, including high exchange rates and inflation, have further exacerbated public discontent. The analysis suggests that the People Power Party's strong stance on investigating the election irregularities has resonated with centrist and younger voters, contributing to their surge in popularity. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party faces internal strife, with leadership challenges and factional conflicts reportedly leading to voter attrition.