{
  "id": 10328597,
  "title": "Lee's approval rating rises for 2nd straight week to 37.9%: poll",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/lees-approval-rating-rises-for-2nd-straight-week-to-37-9-poll",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T01:17:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20260928/lees-approval-rating-rises-for-2nd-straight-week-to-379-poll"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating rose for the second consecutive week last week to 37.9 percent, a pollster said Monday. In a poll conducted on 1,508 adults nationwide from last Monday to Wednesday, positive assessments of Lee's job performance rose by 3.1 percentage points from the previous week, while negative assessments fell 3.3 percentage points to 60.1 percent, Realmeter said.…",
  "key_points": [
    "Lee Jae Myung's approval rating at 37.9% for second consecutive week",
    "3.1 percentage point increase in positive assessments, 3.3 point drop in negatives",
    "Personnel reform efforts highlighted by Justice Minister nominee withdrawal"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Lee's rising approval rating suggests a shift in public perception, driven by his recent communication efforts and diplomatic activities, marking a break from a ten-week decline in his popularity.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Lee's approval rating rises for 2nd straight week to 37.9 pct: poll",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/lees-approval-rating-rises-for-2nd-straight-week-to-37-9-pct-poll",
        "published": "2026-09-28T00:49:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Lee's approval rating rises for 2nd straight week to 37.9%: poll",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/lees-approval-rating-rises-for-2nd-straight-week-to-37-9-poll-10331902",
        "published": "2026-09-28T01:37:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}