Lee's approval rating hits new low amid controversy over Cabinet reshuffle: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating plummeted to its lowest point since assuming office, falling 3.6 percentage points in just one week according to a recent poll. A survey of 2,515 adults conducted by Realmeter for EKN newspaper revealed that 33.8% of respondents approved of Lee's handling of state affairs, a significant drop from the previous week.

Conversely, his disapproval rating surged by 3.8 percentage points to 63.3%. Realmeter cited negative public sentiment surrounding Lee's recent Cabinet reshuffle as the primary reason for the decline, alongside concerns over potential military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty regarding real estate policies. The poll also noted a sharp decrease in support from liberal voters and young adults aged 18 to 29, with the latter group's backing dropping by 10.2 percentage points.

Lee's selections for justice minister and gender equality minister have been particularly contentious, with the former facing accusations of nepotism and the latter being accused of illegally lobbying for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021. The survey carried a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

Meanwhile, a separate poll by Realmeter found that support for the ruling Democratic Party fell by 5.7 percentage points to 36.1%, while backing for the main opposition People Power Party increased by 4.5 percentage points to 42.1%. The latter poll was conducted on 1,003 individuals aged 18 and older, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.