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Over 58% of Koreans have a positive outlook on Lee's presidency, poll finds

Published: 09 Jun. 2025, 11:19 Updated: 09 Jun. 2025, 18:07

President Lee Jae-myung enters a briefing room at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, for an appointments announcement on June 4. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

A recent poll released Monday found that 58.2 percent of respondents had a positive outlook on President Lee Jae-myung’s leadership.

The survey, commissioned by Energy Economy News and conducted by pollster Realmeter between Wednesday to Thursday, asked 1,012 adults nationwide about their expectations for Lee’s administration. A total of 58.2 percent said the president “will do well,” while 35.5 percent said he “will not do well” and 6.3 percent said they were unsure.

Realmeter said Lee’s approval outlook was “relatively low” compared to his predecessors.

After their elections, former President Lee Myung-bak recorded a 79.3 percent approval outlook, with former President Moon Jae-in's approval outlook standing at 74.8 percent, former President Park Geun-hye's at 64.4 percent and former President Yoon Suk Yeol's at 52.7 percent, according to Realmeter’s past surveys.

Lee Jae-myung’s rating is 5.5 percentage points higher than the lowest-rated Yoon, but 21.1 percentage points lower than the highest-rated Lee Myung-bak.

By region, positive expectations for President Lee were highest in Gwangju and the Jeolla regions at 85.3 percent and lowest in Daegu and North Gyeongsang at 39.6 percent. In the capital region, Seoul recorded 57.6 percent and Gyeonggi and Incheon totaled at 59.9 percent.

By age group, 76.6 percent of respondents in their 40s expressed a positive outlook, followed by 70 percent in their 50s, 57.1 percent in their 30s, 50.9 percent in their 60s and 48.9 percent among those aged 70 and older. Respondents in their 20s had the lowest positive outlook at 41.3 percent.

When asked about the most urgent national agenda Lee should address, 41.5 percent selected “economic recovery and the stabilization of livelihoods.” That was followed by “prosecution and judicial reform” with 20.4 percent, “national unity and conflict resolution” with 12.8 percent, “political reform and bipartisan cooperation” with 8.3 percent and “responses to low birthrates and aging” with 4.6 percent.

Citizens walk by the main street of commercial district Myeong-dong on June 8. [YONHAP]

Regarding party support, the Democratic Party recorded 48 percent, up 1.2 percentage points from the previous poll. The People Power Party dropped 0.3 percentage points to 34.8 percent, widening the gap between the two parties to 13.2 percentage points.

Support for the Reform Party stood at 5.8 percent, followed by the Rebuilding Korea at 3.7 percent and the Jinbo Party at 1.4 percent.

The poll was conducted entirely via automated response using mobile phone numbers. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level, with a response rate of 8 percent.

Detailed results can be found on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE HAY-JUNE [[email protected]]