South Korean President Lee’s approval falls to 35.2% in poll

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  President Lee Jae-myung’s job approval fell 2.2 percentage points to 35.2%, marking a second consecutive weekly decline.

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  Negative assessments of his performance rose 1.6 points to 61.4%, according to a Realmeter poll.

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  The pollster attributed the decline to controversies over appointments and judicial independence, security disputes, and rising housing costs.

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  The Democratic Party’s support fell 7 points to 35.7%, while the People Power Party rose 2.9 points to 41.3%.

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  The 5.6-point party gap was within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 points.

Who

President Lee Jae-myung and South Korea’s Democratic Party and People Power Party.

What

Lee’s approval fell to 35.2%; the People Power Party led the Democratic Party in party support, 41.3% to 35.7%.

When

The polls were conducted on October 6–8 for presidential approval and October 7–8 for party support; results were reported on October 12, 2026.

Where

South Korea.

Why

Realmeter cited controversies over judicial independence and security, along with rising housing costs, as factors behind Lee’s falling approval.

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