Lee Jae Myung’s political honeymoon shaken by backlash over personnel picks

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

Controversies surrounding President Lee Jae Myung’s picks for ministers and secretaries are negatively affecting public approval of the president and the new administration’s policy agenda, fueling speculation that the administration’s honeymoon period may be ending.

According to a Realmeter poll conducted from July 14 to 18, Lee’s approval rating stood at 62.2 percent, down 2.4 percentage points from the previous week, reflecting mounting public dissatisfaction with his personnel decisions.

The poll period coincided with the confirmation hearings for Kang Sun-woo and Lee Jin-sook, nominees for gender equality and education ministers, who have been embroiled in allegations of workplace bullying and thesis plagiarism, respectively.

It was the first drop in the new president's approval rating since his inauguration on June 4, reflecting mounting public dissatisfaction with his personnel decisions.

While the president withdrew Lee Jin-sook’s nomination on Sunday following public criticism, Kang has remained at the center of a widening backlash. Accusations of abusive treatment toward aides during her terms as a lawmaker have sparked condemnation from civil society groups, women’s organizations, opposition parties and even factions within the ruling party.

Despite growing criticism, the president has stood firm, with his office formally urging the National Assembly to approve Kang's nomination by Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

When questioned about Kang's mistreatment of her aides and a former gender equality minister, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung offered no comment but repeated the request to the Assembly for approval. When pressed further — specifically on the widespread disapproval by over 90 women’s organizations — the spokesperson repeated the same line, sidestepping the substance of the criticism.

This lack of meaningful engagement is seen as contradictory to the administration's founding pledge to be a citizen-centered government prioritizing the voices of the public.

Kang Sun-woo, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, bows after delivering opening remarks during her confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, July 14. Yonhap

Woo Sang-ho, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, stated in a recent media interview that the decision to push ahead with Kang’s nomination was heavily influenced by the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), suggesting that party interests took precedence over public sentiment.

The DPK’s defense of Kang has only intensified public criticism.

DPK Rep. Moon Jin-seog, in a radio interview Tuesday, downplayed Kang's abuse allegations, arguing that misconduct involving aides should be viewed differently from typical workplace harassment. He even claimed that many aides accept these dynamics out of a sense of duty.

These comments have been widely criticized as out of touch and dismissive of workplace rights.

Anonymous posts from legislative aides have expressed deep frustration.

“Now that it’s clear even abusive behavior isn’t a deal-breaker, what respect is left for us?” one post read. Others described the situation as a betrayal, highlighting the lack of protection against workplace abuse.

Jinbo Party lawmakers sit together during their general assembly at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Jinbo Party

Rep. Kwak Kyu-taek, spokesperson of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), described the appointment as a “declaration of war against common sense.”

“Even DPK staffers are saying they can no longer speak of pride or duty to junior colleagues,” Kwak said.

The progressive Jinbo Party, typically aligned with the DPK, joined the outcry to demand Kang’s withdrawal. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions also issued a statement calling for Kang’s nomination to be rescinded, noting that her appointment contradicts Lee’s stated commitment to eliminating discrimination and protecting the vulnerable.

Public outrage shows no signs of subsiding. Online forums have filled with comments expressing frustration, with one comment reading: "Was President Lee’s claim that he represents the people just empty words?"

Kang Jun-wook, left, presidential secretary for national integration, attends a meeting of senior presidential secretaries and aides at the presidential office in Seoul, July 17. Yonhap

Meanwhile, another one of Lee's controversial picks, Kang Jun-wook, the presidential secretary for national integration, resigned over his past defense of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration in a book and online posts.

Kang, a professor at Dongguk University, was appointed by the liberal president, despite being seen as a conservative figure. When his past views started to surface, the presidential office did not take any action until he himself offered to resign on Tuesday.

Questions remain about the vetting process. When asked whether Kang Jun-woo’s controversial writings were reviewed before his appointment, presidential spokesperson Kang responded, “The personnel vetting system has no issues.”