Lee's approval rating rises for 2nd straight week to 37.9 pct: poll

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating climbed to 37.9% for a second week in a row, according to a poll released Monday. The survey, conducted among 1,508 adults nationwide from last Monday to Wednesday, showed a 3.1 percentage point increase in positive assessments of Lee's job performance, while negative assessments dropped by 3.3 points to 60.1%, as reported by polling firm Realmeter.

Lee's approval rating had declined for ten weeks before this upward trend, driven by his clarification of political issues during a press conference on September 18. Additional factors boosting his popularity included his communication during the press conference and his diplomacy on the international stage, including appearances at the U.N.

General Assembly and the Korea-U.S. summit. The pollster also highlighted the withdrawal of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won and presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik's resignation offer as evidence of Lee's dedication to personnel reform. In a separate survey of 1,005 adults conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, support for the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) surpassed that of the ruling Democratic Party.