What were Lee Jae Myung’s approval and disapproval ratings in the latest Realmeter poll?

Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating was 35.2 percent, down 2.2 percentage points from the previous week. His disapproval rating rose 1.6 percentage points to 61.4 percent.

Why did Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating decline in the latest poll?

Realmeter linked the decline to controversies involving judicial independence and Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, disputes over mine explosions in the DMZ, and rising rental and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area. These issues received attention during parliamentary audits.

How did support for South Korea’s major political parties change in the separate survey?

Support for the ruling Democratic Party fell 7 percentage points to 35.5 percent, while support for the main opposition People Power Party rose 2.9 percentage points to 41.3 percent. The party poll surveyed 1,004 adults.

Lee's approval rating falls for 2nd straight week: poll

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Summary

President Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating fell to 35.2 percent nationwide Monday, amid controversies over judicial independence and a mine blast near the border. Realmeter said positive assessments dropped 2.2 percentage points, while negative assessments rose 1.6 points to 61.4 percent. Support for the Democratic Party fell to 35.5 percent, while the People Power Party rose to 41.3 percent.

Key Facts

The presidential poll surveyed 1,504 adults nationwide from last Tuesday to Thursday and was commissioned by the Asia Business Daily.
Realmeter attributed the decline to parliamentary-audit attention on Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, DMZ mine explosions, and rising rental and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area.
The separate political-party survey covered 1,004 adults last Wednesday and Thursday.
The presidential poll had a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points, while the party-support survey had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, both at a 95 percent confidence level.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 12, 2026 9:12 am KST

President Lee Jae Myung delivers welcoming remarks during a luncheon for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Oct. 8. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell for the second consecutive week to 35.2 percent, a poll showed Monday, amid controversies over judicial independence and last month's mine blast near the border.

In the poll conducted on 1,504 adults nationwide from last Tuesday to Thursday by Realmeter, positive assessments of Lee's job performance fell by 2.2 percentage points from the previous week.

Negative assessments rose 1.6 percentage points to 61.4 percent.

"Controversies surrounding judicial independence involving Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, disputes between rival parties over mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), as well as rising rental and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area, all came under the spotlight during parliamentary audits, leading to the decline in approval ratings," the pollster said.

In a separate survey of 1,004 adults conducted last Wednesday and Thursday, support for the ruling Democratic Party fell 7 percentage points to 35.5 percent, while that of the main opposition People Power Party rose 2.9 percentage points to 41.3 percent.

The survey on the president had a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level, while the one on political parties had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Both polls were commissioned by the Asia Business Daily.

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