[Polpol News] President Yoon's Approval Rating at 30% Amid Liberation Day Controversy

Realmeter Poll
Yoon's Approval Rating Falls 2.9%p to 30.7%
People Power Party at 31.0%, Democratic Party at 42.2%

President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating for his administration has declined, putting the 30% threshold at risk. It is estimated that his support base has eroded following the divisive Liberation Day events.

According to a public opinion poll released on the 19th by Realmeter (conducted on behalf of Energy Economy Newspaper from the 12th to the 16th, surveying 2,009 voters aged 18 and over nationwide using 97% mobile and 3% landline automated response methods), President Yoon's approval rating dropped by 2.9 percentage points from the previous weekly survey to 30.7%. Negative evaluations of his administration rose by 3.2 percentage points to 65.4% compared to a week earlier.

The Liberation Day ceremony held last week proceeded without the participation of the Liberation Association and opposition parties. This was influenced by the appointment issue of Kim Hyung-seok, the director of the Independence Hall, known as a New Right figure. Opposition parties continued their offensive, labeling the current government as a pro-Japanese regime in relation to this matter. By region, approval ratings fell by 6.2 percentage points in Seoul (from 35.1% to 28.9%) and by 5.2 percentage points in Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheong (from 39.0% to 33.8%). By age group, ratings dropped by 11.1 percentage points among those in their 60s (from 45.0% to 33.9%) and by 8.4 percentage points among those in their 50s (from 32.6% to 24.2%). However, there was an increase of 5.0 percentage points among those in their 20s (from 26.3% to 31.3%).

In the party support survey (conducted on behalf of Energy Economy Newspaper on the 14th and 16th, surveying 1,005 voters aged 18 and over nationwide using 97% mobile and 3% landline automated response methods), the People Power Party recorded 31.0%, while the Democratic Party of Korea recorded 42.2%.

Compared to the previous survey, the People Power Party's support fell by 6.8 percentage points, while the Democratic Party's support rose by 5.4 percentage points. This is the first time since the second week of May that the Democratic Party has led the People Power Party beyond the margin of error. The People Power Party saw a decline in support across almost all regions. It is estimated that the Liberation Day controversy and the Democratic Party's party convention influenced this trend. The Cho Kuk Innovation Party recorded 9.7%, and the Reform New Party recorded 3.1%.

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