President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rises above 40% for first time in over five months

Politics

Published: 19 Dec. 2022, 16:12 Updated: 19 Dec. 2022, 23:13

President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rises above 40% for first time in over five months

President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee pose for a commemorative photo with children at an event to bid farewell to their neighbors at their private apartment in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul, Saturday, after moving into the new presidential residence in Hannam-dong in Yongsan District last month. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating rose above 40 percent for the first time in over five months, according to a poll released Monday.

Yoon's approval rating was 41.1 percent, according to the Realmeter survey, 2.7 percentage points higher than the same period the previous week.

The survey was conducted on 2,509 adults 18 and over from Monday to Friday last week and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points and a 95 percent confidence level.

Yoon's disapproval rating dropped slightly to 56.8 percent, down 2 percentage points compared to the previous week.

This marks the first time in 24 weeks since the fifth week of June, when the president's approval rating was 44.4 percent, that Yoon's approval rating exceeded the 40 percent mark in a Realmeter survey.

Yoon's approval ratings stayed generally in the 30 percent range in Realmeter surveys since October.

Yoon's dropped below the 30 percent mark in various polls in early August, amid criticism over controversial personnel appointments, internal feuding within the conservative People Power Party (PPP) and concerns over his lack of experience. He also saw a dip in popularity after a hot mic incident in New York at a fundraiser event hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in September.

The improved poll numbers come at the heel of Yoon's town hall-style government meeting which was televised live last Thursday.

During this government meeting reviewing his administration's national policy tasks, Yoon announced his administration's plans for major reforms in labor, pension and education, as well as in health care. The meeting was attended by 100 members of the public who were able to directly ask Yoon questions related to a range of political, economic and societal issues.

"A full-fledged differentiation from the previous administration on areas such as labor, pension and education reforms and criticism of the Moon Jae-in care and the proposal of the direction of the state affairs of the Yoon administration are key factors that led to a surge in approval ratings," said Bae Cheol-ho, a senior analyst at Realmeter.

Earlier in the month, Yoon announced plans to scrap the "Moon Jae-in care" policy to expand state health insurance coverage, criticizing it for encouraging freeloaders and medical service abuse.

Yoon also came down hard on measures to contain a strike by unionized truckers as a part of his labor reform plans, a move which presidential official said helped with a rebound in approval ratings.

The Realmeter poll Monday saw approval of Yoon's PPP rise to 41.4 percent, up 2.7 percentage points from the previous week. It was the first time approval ratings for the PPP rose above the 40 percent mark for the first time in 23 weeks.

In turn, the liberal Democratic Party (DP) saw its approval rating drop 1.5 percentage points from the previous week to 43.7 percent.

The higher ratings for Yoon also come as the presidential office has been working to streamline its messaging.

Last month, Yoon canceled his so-called "doorstepping" sessions answering questions from reporters after a verbal altercation between an MBC reporter and a presidential aide.

While the doorstepping sessions were seen as Yoon's trademark and a part of his pledge to become a president that better communicates with the public and the press, they have at times prompted controversy due to his unfiltered remarks and gaffes.

The presidential office has sought for alternative ways of communicating with the public.

Last month, Yoon stopped holding his daily doorstepping sessions with the press, which has been a channel for communication but also cited by some as a factor in lowering his approval ratings because of his unfiltered messaging.

Yoon marked his first birthday since taking office in early May on Sunday.

He didn't mark the event with any public activities and spent a quiet birthday at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, central Seoul.

Last Friday, Yoon had a small birthday celebration with his wife Kim Keon-hee and his aides at the Yongsan presidential office.

Birthday flower arrangements were sent by Yoon's supporters to the presidential office over the weekend.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]