Moon’s approval rating just shy of 50% level

President Moon Jae-in’s approval rating inched close to 50 percent this week from a week earlier despite an intense partisan rift over the ruling party-led fast-tracking of some bills, a poll showed Monday.

Moon’s approval rating stood at 49.1 percent, up 1.7 percentage points from the previous week, according to the latest survey by local pollster Realmeter conducted on 2,018 people aged over 19.

Moon’s disapproval rating came in at 46 percent for this week, down 2.4 percentage points from a week earlier. About 5 percent of the respondents refused to answer or said they were not sure.

That puts Moon on the positive spectrum of the assessment by the general public for the seventh consecutive week.

The gain in his overall job performance comes despite intense wrangling at the National Assembly over the fast-tracking of key bills, including reform measures on the election system and prosecution powers.

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) waged a fierce battle against the move, led by the other rival parties, including the ruling Democratic Party (DP).

The poll indicates that the public, especially those in neutral positions, has likely given its support to the ruling party’s move to fast-track key bills, the pollster said.

The approval rating for the DP climbed 2.1 percentage points to 40.1 percent.

That of the LKP also rose slightly to 33 percent, while the minor progressive Justice Party saw its fall to 6.2 percent.

The poll has a 95-percent confidence level with a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.

Yonhap