Lee's approval rating inches up from record low to 45%: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has seen a slight improvement from a record low, according to a recent poll conducted by Gallup Korea. The survey, which polled 1,004 individuals aged 18 and above between Tuesday and Thursday, revealed that 45% of respondents expressed a positive view of Lee's management of state affairs, marking a 1 percentage point increase from the previous survey released last week.

Conversely, Lee's disapproval rating remained steady at 45%, with an additional 11% of respondents indicating they were unsure of their stance.

The pollster did not specify the reason behind the slight increase in Lee's approval rating. However, diplomacy emerged as the most frequently cited reason for positive evaluations, cited by 19% of respondents. This was followed by the economy and people's livelihoods, which were mentioned by 11% of respondents, while overall performance and communication each received 7% of the positive evaluations.

Among those who disapproved of Lee's performance, 28% pointed to his real estate policies, 12% attributed their disapproval to concerns over the economy and people's livelihoods, and 7% cited defense, security, and North Korea-related policies as reasons for their unfavorable view of Lee's handling of these matters. The pollster noted that the rise in respondents mentioning defense as a factor in their disapproval appeared to be notable.