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President Lee's Support Rate Hits First 'Dead Cross' Since Inauguration, Raising Concerns

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • President Lee's approval rating has dropped to 46.7%, with negative assessments rising to 49.7%, marking the first "dead cross" since his inauguration.
  • Factors contributing to the decline include issues with ballot paper shortages, internal party conflicts within the Democratic Party, and concerns over asset polarization.
  • The presidential office acknowledged the results with humility, vowing to pay closer attention to public concerns, while the ruling party expressed worry about a potential loss of governing momentum.

President Lee's approval rating has fallen below 50% for the first time since taking office, with negative assessments now outweighing positive ones. The latest poll shows his job performance rating at 46.7%, while disapproval stands at 49.7%. This "dead cross" is a significant development, raising concerns about the administration's governing momentum.

We will humbly accept this and pay closer attention to what the people are concerned about and what they desire.

— Presidential Office SpokespersonResponding to the drop in the president's approval rating.

Analysts attribute the decline to a combination of factors. The recent shortage of ballot papers during local elections, coupled with visible internal conflicts within the ruling Democratic Party ahead of its national convention, are seen as key contributors. Concerns over widening asset polarization have also resonated with the public, particularly among centrist voters and those in the Seoul metropolitan area.

The ballot paper shortage and the party's internal conflicts have negatively impacted the overall political climate.

— Political AnalystExplaining the reasons behind the president's declining approval.

Despite some positive developments, such as the President's European tour and the KOSPI index surpassing 9,000 points, these were not enough to offset the negative sentiment. The presidential office responded by stating they would "humbly accept" the results and "more carefully examine" public concerns. The Democratic Party acknowledged the need for responsibility and internal discussion.

The president's involvement in internal party disputes, even during an international summit, may have contributed to the decline.

— Political Science ProfessorAnalyzing the impact of domestic political issues on foreign policy perception.

Politicians and academics expressed worry about the potential impact on the administration's ability to govern. Some noted that presidential approval ratings typically rise after overseas trips, but in this case, the President's perceived involvement in internal party disputes may have contributed to the drop. The ruling party faces the challenge of navigating upcoming events, including parliamentary hearings and potential investigations, while trying to regain public trust and maintain governing effectiveness.

We cannot take this lightly, as it could lead to a loss of governing momentum.

— Senior Ruling Party OfficialExpressing concern over the political implications of the poll results.
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Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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