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POLL Majority of S. Koreans view APEC summit as boost for Lee gov't
A promotional video for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is displayed on an electronic billboard in the main hall of Seoul Station, Friday, one week ahead of the summit’s opening. Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
A majority of South Koreans believe the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, will have a positive impact for the Lee Jae Myung administration, according to a recent poll commissioned by The Korea Times.
However, alongside the optimism, a considerable number of respondents expressed caution, stressing that achieving tangible economic outcomes from the two-day APEC summit, set to begin Friday, is more important than political impact.
In the survey conducted last week by Hankook Research for The Korea Times, 30 percent of respondents said South Korea’s diplomatic standing as a middle power could be strengthened by Thursday’s U.S.-China summit, with Seoul positioning itself as a mediator and cooperative player amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Another 28 percent predicted that the summit would boost South Korea’s global standing, leading to higher approval ratings and stronger policy momentum for the administration.
In total, nearly 60 percent of respondents expected the summit to have a positive impact on the government.
In contrast, 23 percent cautioned that the APEC events could backfire if they fail to yield tangible economic results, warning that they might be dismissed as merely “event-driven diplomacy.”
This underscores a prevailing view that the government must establish credibility through concrete policy follow-through and substantive achievements, rather than relying on the short-term visibility of hosting the event.
Meanwhile, 6 percent warned that South Korea’s influence could weaken if global attention shifts to the U.S.-China summit, while another 6 percent expressed concern that a potential U.S.-North Korea summit could sideline Seoul.
Notably, views on the APEC meetings differed sharply along ideological and partisan lines.
More than 80 percent of liberal voters and supporters of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) believed the summit would benefit the Lee administration, viewing it as an opportunity to reinforce its global leadership and boost approval ratings.
In contrast, 44 percent of main opposition People Power Party (PPP) supporters and 37 percent of conservative respondents said the events could backfire without visible results, representing the largest share within their respective groups.
This sharp division in public expectations highlights South Korea’s deep-seated ideological divide.
By age group, those in their 50s were the most optimistic about the summit improving the government’s image, while respondents in their 30s and younger placed greater emphasis on economic improvements and concrete changes rather than symbolic gains.
In the meantime, 59 percent of respondents evaluated President Lee’s job performance positively, with 31 percent saying he is doing “very well” and 28 percent “doing well.”
Negative responses totaled 32 percent, with 13 percent stating he is “not doing well” and 19 percent saying he is “doing very poorly.”
Regarding party support, 44 percent of repondents said they support the DPK, while the PPP was backed by 25 percent. Additionally, the minor conservative Reform Party and the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party each received 2 percent, and the Jinbo Party received 1 percent.
The Korea Times commissioned the survey to gauge public sentiment ahead of the APEC meetings. Hankook Research surveyed 1,004 adults nationwide through phone interviews conducted Thursday and Friday. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. Further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission’s website.