President Lee Jae-myung's Approval Rating Surges to 64%

On June 27, a recent poll revealed that President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating has reached 64%, marking a significant increase in his support. Conducted by Gallup Korea from June 24 to 26, the survey included 1,004 eligible voters aged 18 and older. The results showed that 64% of respondents believe the president is performing well in his duties, while 21% expressed disapproval, and 15% withheld their opinions.

This is the first evaluation of President Lee's performance according to Gallup Korea, and it surpasses the 52% approval rating recorded by former President Yoon Suk-yeol in May 2022 by 12 percentage points. In comparison, previous presidents had varying approval ratings during their early assessments: President Moon Jae-in at 84% in 2017, President Park Geun-hye at 44% in 2013, President Lee Myung-bak at 52% in 2008, President Roh Moo-hyun at 60% in 2003, and President Kim Dae-jung at 71% in 1998.

The reasons for the positive evaluations include 'economy/livelihood' (14%), 'drive/execution/speed' (13%), 'communication' and 'overall performance' (8% each), 'personnel' (6%), 'job competence/ability', 'diplomacy', and 'hard work' (5% each), along with 'welfare for the common people', 'serving the public', and 'fulfilling promises' (4% each).

On the other hand, those who disapproved cited reasons such as 'excessive welfare/livelihood support' and 'diplomatic issues/NATO non-participation' (20% each), 'moral issues/lack of qualifications' (12%), and 'personnel matters' (10%).

In terms of party support, the Democratic Party of Korea stands at 43%, while the People Power Party has 23%. The Justice Party and the Reform Party each hold 4%, the Progressive Party has 1%, and 1% support other parties or organizations, with 24% of respondents identifying as non-partisan.

Regarding the nomination of Kim Min-seok as Prime Minister, 43% of respondents deemed him suitable, while 31% disagreed, and 25% were undecided. Compared to a similar poll two weeks prior (49% suitable, 23% unsuitable), there has been a slight increase in negative sentiment, yet the majority still find him appropriate for the role.

The margin of error for this survey is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The poll was conducted via telephone interviews, achieving a response rate of 13.4% (1,004 completed responses out of 7,473 total calls). For more detailed information, refer to the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website.