Park approval among 20-30s drops to 1%
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President Park's approval rating hit a record low of 1 percent among citizens in their 20s and 30s. / The Korea Times File
By Lee Han-soo
President Park Geun-hye’s approval rating is at a record low of 5 percent, according to a Gallup Korea survey on Friday. But her approval rating among those in their 20s and 30s is even lower ― 1 percent.
Experts said it was hard to consider if such a low statistic was actually a rating.
The negative rating against Park was highest among those in their 20s, with 95 percent followed by those in their 30s with 93 percent.
Park’s approval rating has never been high among the younger generation. But it has never been so low.
Although most Koreans are angry about Park’s influence-peddling scandal involving her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil, the young generation is also angry about Choi’s daughter, Chung Yoo-ra.
Chung, a dressage competitor, is being investigated for special favors in admissions and grading at Ewha Womans University.
Young generations, who mostly spent their youth competing and studying to go to a prestigious university and still suffer from high unemployment, were upset about the scandal.
“I spent the better years of my teenage life studying to get into a high-ranked university for my future,” a university student, 26, told The Korea Times.
“I’m graduating this year, but my future is unclear with unemployment this high.
“When I heard about Chung allegedly receiving special favors, I was outraged and disgusted but most of all I felt hopeless.”
Another student said he still had a hard time getting his head around allegations that the university changed its policy to admit Chung.
“To change the university policy to admit one student is beyond my understanding,” said the student, 25.
“Students are supposed to learn and respect fair competition. But Chung allegedly fabricating her grades brings great disappointment in the system.”