Gallup "President Moon's Approval Rating 45%, 'All-Time High'... President-Elect Yoon 41%, 'Lowest in 4 Weeks'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] President Moon Jae-in's approval rating for his last week in office was surveyed at 45%. The outgoing President Moon will conclude his term with a higher approval rating than that of President-elect Yoon Seok-youl, who is about to begin his term.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to a public opinion poll released on the 6th by Gallup (a telephone interview survey conducted over two days from the 3rd to the 4th, targeting 1,000 adults aged 18 and over nationwide), President Moon's approval rating for his job performance this week remained unchanged from last week at 45%, while disapproval rose by 2 percentage points to 51%. Since President Moon's term expires on the 9th, this Gallup survey is the last regular survey result during his tenure.

Looking at weekly positive job performance ratings, President Moon's approval was highest immediately after his inauguration. In the first Gallup job performance evaluation during his term, conducted in the first week of June 2017, the positive rating was 84%. The lowest was 29% in the fifth week of April 2021. The average over the entire period was calculated at 52%.

Gallup explained, "In 2018, amid North Korea-related issues such as the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and inter-Korean summits, as well as economic mismanagement debates, the positive job performance rating fluctuated between the 80% and 40% range. In 2019, it hovered around the 40% range throughout the year, and around the nomination, appointment, and resignation of Minister Cho Kuk from August to October, it even fell below 40%." Subsequently, COVID-19 became a major variable: "In May 2020, when domestic COVID-19 cases were in a lull, the approval rating reached 71%, an unprecedented record for the third year in office. However, in 2021, following the LH speculation scandal, the ruling party's defeat in the by-elections, and controversies over vaccine supply, the rating dropped to 29% by the end of April," Gallup introduced.

Gallup also noted that President Moon's average positive job performance rating from January to March this year was 42%, the highest among presidents since the restoration of direct elections. Former President Roh Tae-woo recorded 12%, former President Kim Young-sam 6%, former President Kim Dae-jung 27%, and former President Lee Myung-bak 24%. Former President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached during her term, was excluded from comparison due to the absence of a public opinion survey in the last quarter of her fifth year.

Compared to the early days of his term, the ruling Democratic Party's support base (97% → 84%) and progressive voters (94% → 72%) maintained their approval ratings, whereas the non-affiliated group (63% → 37%), centrists (87% → 46%), supporters of the Liberty Korea Party/People Power Party (44% → 8%), and conservatives (67% → 18%) showed significant declines in approval. This suggests that the core support base remained relatively solid until just before his departure.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In the job performance evaluation of President-elect Yoon Seok-youl, the positive rating was 41%. It recorded 50% in the second week of April but dropped by 8 percentage points to 42% in the third week, then rose by 1 percentage point to 43% in the third week, and fell by 2 percentage points this time. Simply comparing job performance approval ratings, President Moon's rating is higher than that of President-elect Yoon.

The margin of error for this survey is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For more details, refer to the website of the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission.