Lee's approval rating sinks to new low: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has plummeted to a record low of 40.2 percent, continuing a weekly decline for the sixth time in a row, according to a poll conducted by Realmeter for the EKN newspaper. The survey polled 2,026 individuals between Tuesday and Friday, revealing a 2.8 percentage point drop from the previous week. A majority of respondents, 56.9 percent, expressed a negative view of Lee's performance, an increase of 2.8 percentage points compared to the prior week.

Realmeter cited two primary factors contributing to the decline: dissatisfaction with the government's housing policies, particularly over a proposed development of apartments in Yongsan Park, central Seoul; and partisan disputes surrounding Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's recommendation of two additional Supreme Court justice nominees to the president via written communication, rather than the customary in-person coordination.

Additionally, security concerns were raised due to the reduced intensity of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States.