54% Give Poor Marks to Lee
Media Reform Bill, Lotte Skyscraper Plan Opposed
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
More than half of the country thinks President Lee Myung-bak is not doing well enough, according to an opinion poll Monday.
The poll of 1,000 people over 19, conducted by the Hankook Ilbo, a sister paper of The Korea Times, saw 54.4 percent of respondents saying Lee has failed to manage state affairs successfully over the past year, while 37.1 percent believe the CEO-turned-head of state has fared well.
That figure is far lower than the 50 to 60 percent approval ratings that Lee had after his inauguration, but shows his popularity has been on the rise since turmoil over imports of U.S. beef last spring. At that time, Lee's approval rating plummeted to around 10 percent.
The President's latest figure is also higher than those of former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Roh Tae-woo, who had support of 25 percent and 28 percent, respectively, one year after taking office. It is lower, however, than those of former presidents Kim Young-sam with 55 percent, and Kim Dae-jung with 56 percent.
Asked to evaluate the Lee administration's performances on the basis of 100 points, respondents gave an average of 51.5 points, according to the poll. The Feb. 21-22 telephone survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
``Following the President's pledges for a `new start' earlier this year, we have seen his approval ratings going up slowly but surely,'' a Cheong Wa Dae official said, asking not to be named. ``The global financial crisis prevents Lee's popularity from going up further.''
Most respondents said Lee has managed public welfare and foreign and defense affairs the best. But about 44 percent said Lee's economic policy has been unsuccessful.
As for inter-Korean ties, 58 percent of respondents called for pursuing direct dialogue with North Korea but maintaining ``proper tension'' with the country, which recently threatened to take military action against the South.
About 21 percent said Seoul should expand economic ties with Pyongyang, while 17.5 percent supported a firm position against the communist North.
About 52 percent opposed a government-proposed revision bill aimed at allowing newspaper companies or conglomerates to own up to 20 percent of shares of broadcasting firms, while 34.5 percent were in favor, according to the survey.
About 65 percent supported the death penalty, while 8.6 percent were against it. With 58 inmates currently on death row, the Seoul government has been practicing a de facto moratorium on capital punishment since 1997.
Some half of the respondents were negative about Lotte Group's plan to build a high-rise amusement park near the flight path to an air base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, according to the poll, which said 52.8 percent opposed the plan, citing flight safety issues, while 35.4 percent supported it for promoting economic revitalization and the local tourism industry.