A 5-Point Drop in One Month; Negative Ratings at 30%
48% Oppose Former Leader Cho's Pardon
President Lee Jae Myung is applauding at the 80th Liberation Day Celebration held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on the 15th. Photo by Presidential Office and Yonhap News
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has dropped to 59%, down from the middle of last month.
According to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea from August 12 to 14 among 1,700 adults aged 18 and older nationwide, 59% of respondents said that President Lee is doing a good job as president. This represents a 5 percentage point decrease compared to the results released in mid-July (July 18). Meanwhile, 30% said he is "doing a poor job," and 11% withheld their opinion.
The main reasons cited for positive evaluations of President Lee's performance were: ▲Economy and livelihood issues (15%), ▲Overall good performance (9%), ▲Communication (8%), and ▲Livelihood recovery support payments (6%). The main reasons for negative evaluations included: ▲Special pardons (22%), ▲Excessive welfare and livelihood support payments (11%), ▲Diplomacy (10%), and ▲Issues with morality or lack of qualifications (7%).
By region, approval ratings were as follows: ▲Gwangju and Jeolla 80%, ▲Incheon and Gyeonggi 60%, ▲Seoul 59%, and ▲Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheong 59%. In Daegu and Gyeongbuk, and Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, the approval ratings were 44% and 49%, respectively, both falling below the majority threshold.
By age group, those in their 40s and 50s showed approval ratings of 77% and 71%, respectively, both exceeding 70%. The approval ratings for those in their 60s, 20s, and 30s were 55%, 54%, and 51%, respectively. For those aged 70 and above, the approval rating was 40%, the only age group not exceeding half.
By ideological orientation, the approval rating among progressives reached 86%. Among moderates, it was 64%, and even among conservatives, it reached 35%.
Meanwhile, with former leader Cho Kuk of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party released through a special Liberation Day pardon, 43% of respondents said they supported his pardon. Opposition stood at 48%, while 9% withheld their opinion. Among those in their 40s and 50s, 58% and 59%, respectively, supported the pardon. However, among those aged 18-29 (50%), 30s (62%), 60s (54%), and 70 and above (56%), a majority opposed the pardon. Opposition was also higher among moderates (50%) and those with no party affiliation (63%) than support. Among the 303 respondents who negatively evaluated President Lee's job performance, 93% opposed the pardon.
This survey was conducted through interviews by telephone surveyors using randomly generated mobile phone numbers. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The contact rate was 42.1%, and the response rate was 13.4%.
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