[Polpol News] Yoon Records Mid-30% Approval Rating Three Months After General Election... What Is the Reason for the Recovery?

Yoon's Approval Rating at 34.5% in Realmeter Poll
Gallup and Others Also Show Recovery Trend
Analysis of Effects Including Czech Nuclear Plant Priority Negotiator Selection

President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating has risen for two consecutive weeks. Analysts attribute this to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power being selected as the preferred negotiator for a 24 trillion won nuclear power plant construction project in the Czech Republic, as well as the diplomatic effects of his visit to the United States.

According to a public opinion poll released on the 22nd by Realmeter, a polling specialist firm (commissioned by Energy Economy Newspaper and conducted from the 15th to the 19th over five days, surveying 2,506 nationwide voters aged 18 and over via 97% mobile and 3% landline automated response telephone survey), the positive evaluation of President Yoon's state affairs performance rose by 2.2 percentage points from the previous week to 34.5%.

Since the ruling party's defeat in the general election, President Yoon's approval rating, which had remained in the high 20% to low 30% range, has risen to the mid-30% range for the first time in about three months. Negative evaluations, indicating poor performance, decreased by 2.2 percentage points compared to two weeks ago, falling to 61.6%.

In party-specific polls (commissioned by Energy Economy Newspaper and conducted among 1,003 nationwide voters aged 18 and over via 97% mobile and 3% landline automated response telephone survey), the People Power Party's approval rating rose by 4.1 percentage points to 42.1%, while the Democratic Party's rating dropped by 1.8 percentage points to 33.2%.

Earlier, a Gallup poll released on the 19th (conducted from the 16th to 18th among 1,000 nationwide voters aged 18 and over via mobile phone interviewer telephone survey) also showed President Yoon's approval rating rising by 4% to 29%. Negative evaluations decreased by 8 percentage points to 60%. Gallup noted, "President Yoon's job approval rating had remained in the low to mid-20% range for the past three months since the general election but has now approached 30%."

Regarding the recovery of President Yoon's approval rating, the selection as the preferred negotiator for the Czech nuclear power plant project is cited as a major factor. This is seen as a result of the current administration's pro-nuclear power policy, unlike the Moon Jae-in government. Additionally, diplomatic achievements such as the "Joint Statement on the US-ROK Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operation Guidelines for the Korean Peninsula" from the visit to the United States are also reflected in the results.

However, some analyses suggest that the ongoing People Power Party leadership election may have influenced public opinion. The People Power Party leadership election reflects 20% of the poll results from not only 80% of party members but also the party's supporters or independents. This raises the possibility that the polling may have been disproportionately sampled from People Power Party supporters. Kim Bong-shin, director at Metavoice, explained, "Due to the leadership election and other factors, People Power Party supporters may have responded more actively, affecting the poll results." He added, "In past leadership elections, approval ratings have risen and been maintained due to convention effects, but this time, because of mutual slander during the election, the effect is likely to fade quickly."

For more details, please refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.