In brief
In a computer‑assisted telephone interview, Lee received a 45.6% approval rating and a 53.8% disapproval rating. An automated response survey widened the gap, reporting 39.4% approval and 59.7% disapproval. Both major parties saw small drops in support amid a tightening competition for voters.
A computer‑assisted telephone interview (CATI) conducted by domestic pollster Flower Research on Monday revealed that the public’s disapproval of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s state administration outpaced approval, with 53.8 percent disapproving versus 45.6 percent approving. The automated response system (ARS) survey presented a wider disparity: approval at 39.4 percent against disapproval of 59.7 percent, a 20.3‑percentage‑point difference.
Poll Methodology and Results
Both the CATI and ARS polls reported similar trends but diverged on magnitude. In the CATI data, the ruling Democratic Party’s support slipped 0.7 percentage points from the previous week to 41.2 percent, while the conservative opposition People Power Party fell 0.9 percentage points to 35.8 percent. The ARS survey showed a more pronounced decline for the Democratic Party, dropping 1.6 percentage points to 38.1 percent, and leaving the People Power Party unchanged at 41.9 percent.
These figures reflect the two most common methods of opinion polling in South Korea, with CATI relying on live interviewer‑voice contact and ARS using automated voice prompts. The discrepancy in the size of the gap between approval and disapproval across the two methods is noted by the pollster, but the underlying reasons remain unspecified.
Lee’s approval rating declined modestly compared with earlier figures. The data does not indicate a sharp swing toward his approval, and the disapproval figure remains higher, suggesting persistent public concerns about the administration’s performance.
The competition for public backing between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party is described as “tight,” according to the poll. The simultaneous drop in both parties’ scores is highlighted as a sign that voters are becoming more critical of the current political landscape, although the specific policy issues contributing to the shift are not provided in the sources.
Both Reuters‑style reporting and a separate release from Big News Network affirm the same figures, reinforcing that the data are consistent across outlets. No direct quotes from officials or the president appear in the reported materials, and the poll results are presented as a snapshot rather than a definitive forecast.
While the poll offers a clear picture of current approval and disapproval levels, several uncertainties remain. It is unclear how durable these ratings are or whether a follow‑up poll would reveal a reversal in trends. The reasons for the simultaneous decline of the two major parties are not explained in the available reports. Further details on the polling methodology and sampling are also not included, leaving open questions about the representativeness of the results. Consequently, readers are left to consider whether the data signal a broader shift in South Korean public opinion or simply a temporary dip in political sentiment.
