REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK Why Lee skipped summer vacation

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a meeting with senior presidential secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

• Published Aug 14, 2026 4:28 PM KST

Falling approval rating likely reason, but Lee still encouraged to take rest to set example for work-life balance

President Lee Jae Myung has skipped his summer vacation this year — an unusual move considering presidents typically take time off between late July and early August to recharge and prepare for the second half of the year.

“Staying at home is rest for me,” Lee said last week, reflecting his well-known workaholic tendencies.

But his decision has also prompted speculation over whether he is mindful of his falling approval ratings, with multiple polls showing a sustained decline in public support.

Realmeter’s latest poll placed Lee’s approval rating at a record-low 43.3 percent, marking its fourth consecutive weekly decline.

His disapproval rating reached 53 percent, while his approval fell below the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s 44.6 percent approval rating for the first time under his administration.

Other surveys showed a similar trend, as Gallup Korea put Lee’s approval at 44 percent, its lowest level since his inauguration in June 2025 and below his 46 percent disapproval rating.

Taken together, the surveys suggest that Lee’s support is facing a steady decline rather than a temporary drop in a single poll.

The downturn has come amid concerns over the Lee administration's real estate and tax policies, prosecution reform and the rollout of highly volatile single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds. Young people have also criticized proposed changes to tax-advantaged savings accounts and other policies seen as going against their interests.

Against this backdrop, a presidential vacation could have provided political opponents with an easy target. Images of Lee relaxing at a resort while rising housing costs, market volatility and public discontent remain unresolved could fuel accusations painting the president as out of touch.

His decision therefore appears to be less about simply forgoing a vacation than feeling politically unable to take one.

“Although Lee’s decision can be attributed partly to his work-oriented style, his falling approval ratings likely make it politically difficult for him to take a vacation,” said Jung Jae-hwan, a political science professor at Inha University.

“He could face criticism for appearing insensitive to public concerns while controversies over housing, taxation and financial policies remain unresolved,” Jung added.

Such political pressure may explain the contradiction between Lee’s own choice and his message to government officials.

After completing a series of policy briefings earlier this month, Lee told ministers to ensure that they and the public servants in their ministries could take a vacation, saying they had worked hard and deserved time to rest.

But such encouragement may carry limited weight when the person at the top remains at his desk.

In a hierarchical society, employees often find it difficult to take time off when their boss does not. In the conservative public sector, the tendency is stronger.

Even if Lee does not explicitly demand that others follow his example, his refusal to rest could unintentionally pressure ministers, presidential aides and rank-and-file civil servants to remain at work.

Presidential vacations are not merely private breaks. They can signal that taking time off is a legitimate and necessary part of working life, particularly in Korea’s culture of long working hours.

Former presidents' trips also helped draw attention to local tourist destinations and encourage domestic travel.

A presidential vacation could therefore serve purposes beyond the president’s personal well-being.

Lee’s caution is politically understandable. But if he genuinely wants public officials to take their vacations without hesitation, the most convincing message may be to take one himself.