Democratic Party's Approval Rating Hits Lowest Point Since Lee Jae-myung Government Took Office

The approval rating of the Democratic Party of Korea stood at 35% in a Gallup Korea survey of 1,000 adults nationwide conducted October 6–8, marking its lowest level since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung government, it was confirmed on the 12th. The figure is unfavorable for Party leader Kim, who had pledged to raise the party's approval rating by 10 percentage points within 100 days of taking office. With more than half of that target period now passed, the party has yet to find a clear catalyst for a rebound.

Within the party, observers cite the accumulation of negative factors — housing issues, controversies over ministerial nominees Kim Seung-won and Yong Hye-in, the special prosecutor act on alleged prosecutorial fabrication, and debate over a constitutional amendment to allow a second presidential term — along with intraparty conflict that flared up at the party convention and spread across the broader ruling bloc.

Kim has recently scaled back his personal messaging and shifted his focus toward livelihood-focused activities. A leadership official said, "Now that the party's operational framework has been established since his inauguration, it is time to calibrate the tone of our messaging and the issues we focus on." Another leadership official added, "There are limits to shifting public sentiment through the party's independent activities alone; ultimately, the government must deliver results in governance."