(LEAD) Lee's approval rating rises after dipping to lowest level: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has slightly increased to 39 percent following a period of decline, according to a weekly poll conducted by Gallup Korea. The survey, which polled 1,003 individuals aged 18 and over between Tuesday and Thursday, revealed a 2 percentage point rise in positive assessments of Lee's performance compared to the previous week. This marks a rebound from his lowest recorded approval rating of 37 percent in the two prior Gallup polls, which had been declining since late August.

The proportion of those who disapproved of Lee's handling of state affairs increased by 1 percentage point to 52 percent. Among those who expressed positive views of Lee's performance, 20 percent highlighted diplomacy as a key factor, while 11 percent cited economic and livelihood issues. Real estate policies and economic concerns were among the primary reasons cited by those who disapproved of Lee's actions.

Support for the ruling Democratic Party surged 1 percentage point to 36 percent, marking the lowest figure since Lee's administration began. Similarly, support for the main opposition People Power Party rose 1 percentage point to 27 percent. Looking ahead to the 2028 general elections, 47 percent of respondents favored the election of more opposition candidates to keep the government in check, while 34 percent expressed support for Democratic Party candidates to bolster the government's position.

Support for the opposition's victory was higher across all age groups, except for those in their 40s and 50s, whose preference for a Democratic Party victory stood at 50 percent and 48 percent, respectively. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.