"Yoon Seok-yeol's Decline, Has He Hit Bottom?"... Clear Recovery in Support Among 20s and 30s

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is performing a victory gesture for the presidential election at the launch ceremony of the Incheon Election Countermeasures Committee held on the 10th at Songdo Central Park Hotel in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Recent polls released on the 11th show that the approval rating of Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, who had been on a steep decline, has somewhat recovered. The resolution of conflicts with party leader Lee Jun-seok and actions targeting the 2030 generation, such as the dismantling of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, are interpreted as factors that helped regain lost youth votes.

According to a poll conducted by Media Tomato commissioned by News Tomato (August 8-9, 1,017 adults aged 18 and over, with a 95% confidence level and ±3.1% margin of error), Yoon’s approval rating was 38.2%, tying with Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party. Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Party, showed a recent upward trend with 12.1% in this survey as well.

In a poll conducted by Korea Information Research commissioned by News Pim (August 8, 1,003 adults aged 18 and over, with a 95% confidence level and ±3.1% margin of error), Yoon had 40.3%, Lee 34.7%, and Ahn 13.0%. Notably, in the previous survey (July 27), Lee had higher support among those in their 20s, but this time Yoon took the lead. Korea Information Research analyzed that "the pledge to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family appears to be a decisive factor."

After being embroiled in internal party conflicts and controversies, Yoon had been overtaken by Lee in several New Year polls. However, after resolving conflicts with party leader Lee on the 6th and forming a one-team, Yoon frequently delivered clear messages targeting youth, which seems to have contributed to the recovery of his approval rating.

On the same day, party leader Lee appeared on a radio show and said, "A significant rebound has been confirmed," adding, "The 2030 support base that had backed Yoon shifted, causing Ahn’s approval rating to rise, but Yoon is achieving a strong rebound through style changes and other efforts."

For detailed poll information, please refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.