Full Breakdown
Lee Jae-myung’s Approval Rating Plummets to New Low Amid Housing and Policy Discontent
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Record Low Approval Rating
- On September 14, a Realmeter poll showed President Lee Jae-myung at 33.8 % positive and 63.3 % negative, the lowest level since taking office and the ninth consecutive weekly decline.
Background & Context
- Lee entered the presidency in 2024 after a rapid rise from 29 % in 2018 to a 72 % peak two years later as mayor and governor of Gyeonggi.
- Since inauguration, public dissatisfaction has centered on housing policy, cabinet reshuffles, and the review of troop dispatch to the Strait of Hormuz—issues reminiscent of former liberal president Moon Jae-in.
Data & Statistics
- Approval rating: 33.8 % positive, 63.3 % negative (Realmeter, Sept 14).
- Weekly change: down 3.6 pts from the previous week.
- Age-group impact: voters in their 20s fell to 18.6 %, a 10.2-point drop.
- Ideological split: progressives’ approval fell to 49.3 %, an 8-point decline.
- Party support: Democratic Party 36.1 % (down 5.7 pts), People Power Party 42.1 % (up 4.5 pts).
- Gallup poll (early September): approval at 38 %, negative at 51 %; Seoul’s approval 29 %, 20-year-old cohort 31 %.
- Housing-policy criticism: cited by 24 % of respondents as the top reason for a negative view (Gallup, Sept 2).
Official Statements & Responses
- President Lee has not commented on the poll but previously emphasized focusing on the “finish line” rather than short-term approval numbers.
Criticism & Opposition
- Kim Eo-joon, a liberal pundit, warned that “once you hit 3 (in the first digit) in support rating, no president has recovered from that,” suggesting political danger.
- Kim Si-deok, an urban-development commentator, argued Lee favors a “boutique city” model over mass housing, criticizing the Yongsan-district redevelopment plan.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Once you hit 3 (in the first digit) in support rating, no president has recovered from that,” — Kim Eo-joon
- “We look at this as a compound result of various policy issues such as real estate and the stock market as well as political issues,” — Kang Yu-jung
- “The essence of the current crisis in state administration is not about approval ratings,” — Shin Chang-sik
Why It Matters
- The sustained low approval threatens the Democratic Party’s ability to retain a parliamentary majority in the 2028 election, as internal rifts and defections among progressives and young voters could shift the balance of power.
- Housing policy remains a flashpoint; failure to expand supply or adjust taxation may deepen discontent and influence future electoral outcomes.
What’s Next
- The Blue House indicated Lee will address the nation in a format “still under review,” signaling an upcoming direct communication aimed at restoring confidence.
- Realmeter’s next poll is expected in early October, which will gauge whether the administration’s response alters the approval trajectory.