South Korean President Lee’s Disapproval Rating Tops Approval: Poll
Lee’s disapproval rating surpasses approval for the first time.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's disapproval rating has surpassed his approval rating for the first time since he took office, according to a Gallup Korea survey released Friday. The shift comes amid growing criticism of his government's real estate policies and concerns over recent changes to property taxation.
The survey, conducted from Tuesday to Thursday among 1,000 people aged 18 and above, found that 44 per cent of respondents approved of Lee's handling of state affairs. This represented a seven-percentage-point decline from the previous Gallup Korea survey released on July 24. Meanwhile, the disapproval rating increased by eight percentage points to 46 per cent.
The latest figures mark the first time since Lee's inauguration in June 2025 that his negative rating has exceeded his positive rating in a Gallup Korea poll. Recent surveys by Realmeter and the National Barometer Survey have also recorded declines in Lee's approval ratings, with both indicating that his support has fallen to its lowest levels since he assumed office.
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Among respondents who approved of Lee's performance, diplomacy was the most commonly cited reason at 19 per cent, followed by the economy and people's livelihoods at 15 per cent. Eight per cent cited his overall performance. Among those who disapproved, 30 per cent pointed to his real estate policies, while 13 per cent cited economic and livelihood concerns and 7 per cent referred to his overall performance.
The decline comes as the government faces criticism over property tax revisions that would increase the tax burden on owners of high-end homes and people who do not live in their properties. On Thursday, the government also announced a housing plan aimed at providing more than 230,000 additional homes in the Seoul metropolitan area. Critics, however, have questioned whether the measures will be sufficient to address the region's housing shortage.
The Gallup Korea survey also showed a decline in support for the ruling Democratic Party, whose approval rating fell three percentage points to 41 per cent. The main opposition People Power Party gained two percentage points to reach 25 per cent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 per cent confidence level.
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