President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating plunges into 50s, dropping since June 3 election

President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating shows downtrend, mixed evaluations on first anniversary in office

President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating for state affairs has fallen into the 50% range since the June 3 local elections. The Presidential Office stated it accepts this as a 'sober public evaluation' and will approach state affairs with humility. Digital goods and policy announcements released around his first anniversary in office are interpreted as attempts to highlight positive achievements, though some argue these efforts have failed to fully win public favor. Notably, the recent controversy over Democratic Party spokesperson Lee Ji-eun's remarks comparing President Lee to former President Yoon Suk-yeol has escalated into internal party strife, raising concerns about weakened state governance capabilities.

Public sentiment shifts post-June 3 election, reflected in falling approval ratings

Recent opinion polls show President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating for state affairs has dropped by 9.4 percentage points to 50.4% since the June 3 local elections. Negative evaluations have also risen by 10.5 percentage points, nearing the 40% mark. This is analyzed as a public evaluation of the local election results translating into low scores for the President and the ruling party. Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae stated, "I empathize with President Lee Jae-myung's evaluation and perception of the June 3 local elections," expressing an intention to humbly accept the criticisms and admonishments identified during the election process and to examine public sentiment from various angles. The party also announced plans to form a local election evaluation committee to publish a white paper and objectively diagnose achievements and shortcomings. However, despite these damage control efforts, the clear downward trend in approval ratings is expected to pose a burden on future state governance.

The Presidential Office reiterated its stance on the approval rating decline, saying, "We are sorry to the public and humbly accept the evaluation." In fact, President Lee remarked during a meeting with overseas Koreans during his visit to Belgium that "the downtrend in approval ratings is a sober public evaluation" and that he would "approach matters with a more humble attitude." He also signaled a commitment to focus policy efforts on stabilizing livelihoods and the economy, vowing to mobilize all resources to combat the 'triple-highs' (high inflation, high interest rates, high exchange rates) caused by the Middle East conflict. This is interpreted as a sign that resolving economic issues, identified as a primary cause for the approval rating decline, will be prioritized. Indeed, President Lee raised expectations for economic revitalization at his first-anniversary press conference by announcing plans to build a 'Southern Peninsula Semiconductor Innovation Belt' and hinting at large-scale investment projects.

Lee Ji-eun's remarks spark controversy, ignite internal party conflict

Meanwhile, remarks by Democratic Party spokesperson Lee Ji-eun, who compared President Lee Jae-myung to former President Yoon Suk-yeol, have caused a significant stir. Lee stated, "Our President is different from Yoon Suk-yeol," but the remark was misunderstood by listeners as implying, "Our President is the same as Yoon Suk-yeol," sparking strong backlash from the President's supporters. As a result, Lee Ji-eun eventually resigned from her spokesperson position, and the party is reportedly investigating the truth and circumstances surrounding the remarks. This incident is seen as more than just a minor gaffe, bringing internal factional conflicts within the Democratic Party back to the surface. Especially with significant issues looming, such as accountability for the local election results and the upcoming party leadership race, such internal strife is raising concerns that it could deepen party division and weaken governance momentum.

In relation to this, Democratic Party Senior Spokesperson Kang Joon-hyun expressed a cautious stance, stating, "We are not considering disciplinary action yet, and first, we must ascertain the facts." However, some within the party are calling for a clear understanding of the intent and context of Lee's remarks and, if necessary, for corresponding measures to be taken. This internal conflict within the ruling party can hinder policy implementation momentum and lead to a loss of public trust. Particularly as sensitive political reform tasks such as the 'Comprehensive Electoral Management Reform' are on the horizon, a lack of unity within the ruling party is likely to intensify confrontation with opposition parties like the People Power Party.

Outlook for future state governance: Economic recovery and party stabilization urgent

President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating decline is likely to continue for some time. How the government resolves the 'warning from public sentiment' shown by citizens after the June 3 local elections and secures momentum for a rebound in approval ratings will be the core tasks for future state governance. To this end, it is urgent for the government to concentrate policy efforts on overcoming livelihood and economic crises such as the 'triple-highs' and demonstrate tangible results to the public. It is crucial to successfully promote large-scale investment projects like the 'Southern Peninsula Semiconductor Innovation Belt' to achieve economic revitalization, and to flawlessly implement policies directly related to people's lives, such as alleviating the burden of caregiver costs and considering the provision of free sanitary pads.

Stabilizing the Democratic Party internally is also an urgent task. If internal party conflicts, such as the controversy over spokesperson Lee Ji-eun's remarks, erupt, the President's governance momentum will inevitably weaken further. Wise handling by the party leadership is required to prevent factional conflicts from escalating during the preparation process for the upcoming party convention. As Party Leader Jeong Cheong-rae mentioned, based on a humble evaluation and reflection of the local election results, it is paramount to foster party unity and regain public trust. Alongside this internal stability, strengthening international cooperation through the President's diplomatic engagements can also contribute to securing governance momentum. President Lee Jae-myung's first European tour since taking office and meetings with leaders of major countries are expected to be important opportunities to enhance South Korea's diplomatic standing and create economic opportunities. Overall, the Lee Jae-myung administration stands at a critical juncture, facing the dual challenges of economic recovery and internal party stabilization.