[Yoon Administration 100 Days] Approval Rating Halved in 100 Days... Unshaken 'Noise' Remains

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] From 52% to 25%, this is the dismal report card of the ‘Yoon Seok-yeol administration’ as it approaches its 100th day since inauguration. Facing a halved approval rating, President Yoon issued his first public apology, but there are no clear signs of a rebound. What exactly caused the approval rating of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, which started off brilliantly with the support of half the nation, to drop so drastically?

According to Gallup Korea, positive evaluations of President Yoon stood at 25% on the 12th. This is a slight increase from the previous week (24%), but considering that it was in the low 50% range during the first month after his inauguration, it is about half. Meanwhile, negative evaluations, which were only in the mid-30% range, soared to 66%, doubling in size. This indicates that a significant portion of President Yoon’s support base has also turned away.

President Yoon’s approval rating maintained the low 50% range during the early period of his administration from May to early June, enjoying a strong ‘honeymoon effect.’ Signs of decline appeared in mid-June. In the third week of June, the approval rating dropped to 49%, breaking the 50% threshold, and then fell further to 47% and 43%. In the first week of July, positive evaluations were at 37% while negative evaluations reached 49%, marking a dead cross, and by the fourth week of July, even the 30% approval rating collapsed, entering the 20% range. Generally, considering that the honeymoon effect lasts for a considerable period early in a new administration due to public expectations, it is unusual for approval ratings to decline this sharply without major incidents such as the ‘mad cow disease crisis.’

Examining the period from mid-June to early July when the approval rating plummeted, controversies arose over personnel issues involving candidates for the Minister of Health and Welfare and the Minister of Education, as well as unrefined remarks made during the president’s door-stepping events. The presence of an acquaintance accompanying First Lady Kim Geon-hee on her visit to Bongha Village and controversies over private hiring at the presidential office also affected public sentiment. Criticism also emerged regarding inadequate responses to the stock market decline and economic difficulties.

Despite the falling approval ratings, President Yoon maintained a unilateral attitude, stating, "I did not pay much attention to approval ratings even during the election campaign. They are not very meaningful." The People Power Party escalated internal power struggles between pro-Yoon factions and the Lee Jun-seok faction following the disciplinary action against former party leader Lee Jun-seok.

In July, controversies surrounding the establishment of the Police Bureau intensified internal conflicts within the People Power Party, negatively impacting the president’s approval rating. The worsening inflation without concrete countermeasures, amid ongoing political strife, further accelerated public discontent. The ‘internal criticism representative’ text message scandal at the end of July dealt a fatal blow to the fragile approval rating trend. Even the public sentiment of men in their 20s, who had been a core support base for President Yoon, turned against him. However, the presidential office responded passively, expressing only regret over the exposure of private conversations.

Controversies continued into August. The ‘mandatory enrollment at age five’ debate alienated parents, and diplomatic faux pas arose from the ‘passing over’ of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her visit to Korea. After returning from vacation, President Yoon responded to the heavy rain damage on the 10th with his first public apology since taking office, showing a humble attitude. This marks a shift from his previously unilateral and passive responses, and attention is focused on whether this change in approach will halt the decline in approval ratings and lead to a successful rebound.