[Yongsan Report] "Czech Nuclear Plant is a Boon"... Presidential Office Encouraged by Rising Approval Ratings

Yoon's Approval Rating Rebounds to 30% Range After Winning Czech Nuclear Plant Contract
Yoon-Korea Harmony Expected to Positively Impact Future Approval Ratings
However, Parliamentary Troubles and Staff Misconduct Are Negatives

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a congratulatory speech at the 4th People Power Party Convention held at KINTEX in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do on the afternoon of the 23rd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating has shown a clear rebound for the first time since the crushing defeat in the general election, prompting voices within the presidential office to say that "sincerity has been recognized." The internal assessment is that President Yoon's quiet efforts to restore the economy and improve people's livelihoods amid a situation of a minority government have borne fruit. The presidential office particularly views the securing of a 24 trillion won contract for the Czech nuclear power plant project as playing a key role.

A presidential office official said on the 26th regarding the rise in President Yoon's approval rating, "We analyze that the favorable export trend, the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) tour, and the selection as the preferred bidder for the Czech nuclear power plant project have led to the increase in approval ratings through economic and diplomatic achievements." Another official added, "After the announcement of the Czech nuclear power plant project and the next day's front-page newspaper coverage, the approval rating began to rise," and said, "The atmosphere inside is also good."

In a survey conducted by Embrain Public, K-Stat Research, Korea Research, and Hankook Research (targeting 1,005 men and women aged 18 and over nationwide from the 22nd to the 24th), President Yoon's positive evaluation of state affairs management rose to 30% for the first time since the general election. A recent Realmeter survey (targeting 2,506 voters aged 18 and over nationwide from the 15th to the 19th) also recorded a positive evaluation of 34.5%.

The presidential office held a live briefing immediately after Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power won the Czech new nuclear power plant construction project on the 17th, making a public announcement to the nation. They then sent a special envoy team to the Czech Republic within five days and are fully promoting the project, including deciding on President Yoon's visit to the Czech Republic in September.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is holding hands and taking a commemorative photo with People Power Party's new leadership, including Representative Han Dong-hoon (left) and Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho (right), at a dinner held on the 24th at Pine Glass in front of the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Within the presidential office, the dinner between President Yoon and Han Dong-hoon, the newly appointed leader of the People Power Party, on the 24th is also expected to have a positive effect. The judgment is that showing President Yoon and Leader Han joining hands in harmony will bring about unity among supporters. It is also reported that President Yoon told his aides not to worry about party-government relations.

However, it is uncertain whether the upward trend in approval ratings will continue. Accumulated obstacles such as allegations related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee, the special prosecutor law for Chae Sang-byeong, and the second-quarter domestic gross domestic product (GDP) contraction could act as negative factors in public opinion. In particular, recent internal issues such as a senior administrative officer's drunk driving and a security service employee's subway sexual harassment allegations have also raised concerns about lax discipline within public office. A presidential office official said, "The secretariat has issued verbal instructions to employees to strictly maintain public service discipline."