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| President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves the stage after delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Gas Conference in Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap |
President, ruling party see increase in approval ratings
By Nam Hyun-woo
President Yoon Suk-yeol and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) are enjoying a boost in approval ratings after a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden last weekend, which is positively affecting the conservative ruling bloc's campaign for the June 1 local elections.
Political watchers said the summit will likely motivate conservatives to unite for the elections, as the two leaders showcased amicable scenes recognizing South Korea's elevated status as well as sharing their commitment to a stronger deterrence against North Korea.
According to a poll by RnSearch released Tuesday, Yoon's job approval rating stood at 53.2 percent, with 41.1 percent responding negatively. Compared to a week earlier, the new president saw a 3.2-percentage-point rise in his approval rating.
In a separate survey by Realmeter released on Monday, 54.3 percent of respondents answered positively when they were asked about their outlook on Yoon's presidency, up from 51.2 percent a week earlier.
The RnSearch poll surveyed 1,006 adults from May 21 to 23 on behalf of Newspim. The Realmeter poll surveyed 2,528 adults from May 16 to 20. Details of each poll are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website.
Yoon's presidency got off to a shaky start, with less than 50 percent of the public having a positive outlook until last month, due to doubts over his selection of minister nominees and hasty relocation of the presidential office.
However, the summit not only boosted Yoon's political momentum, but also gave the PPP an uplift in its campaign ahead of the local elections. The Realmeter poll showed that the PPP's support rate stood at 50.1 percent, up 2 percentage points from a week earlier, while the support rate for the rival Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) stood at 38.6 percent.
"The summit gave a boost to the ruling side, as the U.S. showcased steadfast commitment to deter North Korea's missile and nuclear threats, as well as recognizing Seoul's elevated status in the global chip industry," an official from the ruling bloc said.
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| An official at the National Election Commission walks past a sign board showing eight days remaining before the June 1 local elections at the election watchdog's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Yonhap |
Opposition lawmakers questioned the concrete benefits of the latest summit, but they agreed that the event will give the PPP a boost in terms of support.
"The inauguration of President Yoon, and the convention effect of the Korea-U.S. summit pose huge impacts on the local elections," said Lee Jae-myung, the former DPK presidential candidate who competed against Yoon, during a radio interview, Monday. Lee is now running in a by-election for a parliamentary seat in Incheon which will also take place on June 1.
Lee's comments came after a poll showed that the former presidential candidate was trailing behind PPP candidate Yun Hyung-sun, a rookie politician and medical doctor who runs a clinic in the constituency of Gyeyang District, which has been a DPK stronghold.
"The outcome of the Korea-U.S. summit will likely help the conservative electorate to unite," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University.
"National security or nuclear threats from North Korea remain as concerns for the public. Since Seoul does not have nuclear deterrence, the country needs to get assistance from the U.S., and this was relatively stated clearly in the outcome of this summit," Shin added.
Against this backdrop, Yoon and the PPP are picking up speed in resolving thorny issues in domestic politics, such as the appointment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and the withdrawal of Health and Welfare Minister nominee Chung Ho-young's candidacy.
The DPK had opposed the appointment of both Han and Chung, but approved the prime minister's appointment, Friday, citing the need for cooperation with the ruling party. The health minister nominee dropped his bid on Monday night. The PPP described the move as "a decision to help cooperation between the rival parties."
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