President Lee Jae Myung's approval slips to lowest level since taking office

The latest National Barometer Survey, conducted Monday-Wednesday with 1,002 respondents aged 18 and older, recorded President Lee Jae Myung’s approval at 43%, a seven-point decline from the previous biweekly poll and the lowest level since he took office in June. Disapproval rose to 48%, surpassing approval for the first time. The survey also captured public reaction to Lee’s recent cabinet reshuffle: 47% disapproved of Rep. Kim Seung-won’s nomination as justice minister, and 63% judged Rep. Yong Hye-in a poor choice for gender-equality minister, both facing separate scandals.

Party support shifted, with the ruling Democratic Party falling to 39% and the opposition People Power Party climbing to 25%. On foreign policy, 45% of respondents opposed sending South Korean troops to the Strait of Hormuz, while 36% supported it. The poll’s margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.