Overview
- A Realmeter poll conducted Aug. 24–28 found President Lee’s approval at 38.9 percent and disapproval at 58.7 percent, marking a seventh straight weekly drop and the first reading under 40 percent.
- Realmeter said the fall reflects rising voter frustration with housing costs and rents, controversy over a Supreme Court nominee, public distrust of police after high-profile Jeju cases, and infighting within the ruling camp.
- Support fell most sharply among voters in their 50s and in the Daejeon/Sejong/Chungcheong region while approval among people in their 30s rose, showing uneven demographic shifts that could reshape campaign targets.
- The Lee administration responded with a six-member Cabinet reshuffle and the Democratic Party pledged an affordability-focused agenda as officials seek to stabilize public opinion.
- Analysts and editorials note the slump follows a high first-year rating and could constrain Lee’s second-year policy agenda, affect prosecutorial and police reforms, and heighten pressure ahead of future political battles.