Lee's social media posts and the elephant in the Blue House

President Lee Jae Myung has ramped up his social media presence, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), in an effort to address a persistent issue. His predecessors, each with their own X accounts, were relatively restrained in their use of the platform. However, Lee has surpassed them in recent months. In a given month, he averaged four posts, a personal best, and so far in October, he has averaged six.

The reason behind this surge in social media activity has been linked to a decline in his approval rating. Media analysts have observed this correlation, although they acknowledge that the posts themselves are not the cause of the drop in popularity. Instead, they are a strategic response to the issue. It is crucial to understand that Lee's posts are not driving the decline in approval ratings.

Instead, they serve as a countermeasure. The initial observation is clear: Lee's social media posts are not the root cause of the decrease in his approval rating; rather, they are a deliberate attempt to mitigate the problem. The second point of consideration revolves around the timing of this strategy. Contrary to initial assumptions, Lee's approval rating is not particularly low.

It stands at just under 40 percent, which is not significantly bad given South Korea's position at 67th in the Global Happiness Index. People in the country tend to express their dissatisfaction readily, making the situation more complex. The timing of Lee's social media push is not determined by the numerical value of his approval rating but rather by the broader context of public sentiment.