President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating hits new low

President Lee Jae-myung’s approval rating has hit a new low, continuing an eight-week decline following a recent cabinet reshuffle. According to Realmeter polling, the President’s positive evaluation dropped to 37.4%, while negative sentiment rose to 59.5%.

Analysts attribute the decline to controversies surrounding new ministerial appointments and policy shifts. Specifically, the nominations of Kim Seung-won for Minister of Justice and Yong Hye-in for Minister of Gender Equality and Family have faced intense scrutiny. Kim is facing allegations regarding requests for COVID-19 treatment clinical trial approvals, while Yong is embroiled in controversies concerning dual roles and organizational affiliations.

Political party support also saw slight decreases, with the Democratic Party at 41.8% and the People Power Party at 37.6%. The reshuffle, intended to revitalize the administration's momentum, has instead seen negative sentiment regarding personnel appointments rise significantly in recent polls.