[Editorial] President Lee's Lowest Approval Rating Signals a Crisis of Trust

The positive evaluation of President Lee Jaemyung's performance in office has fallen to its lowest point since his inauguration. In a regular survey released by Realmeter on August 3, the positive approval rating stood at 45.9%, while the negative evaluation reached 50.5%, exceeding the margin of error. Support for the president has declined for three consecutive weeks, with even moderate and progressive groups beginning to turn away. This appears to be a result of a combined crisis of trust in President Lee, driven by disappointment with stock market and real estate policies, the forceful passing of the Criminal Procedure Act amendment, and controversy over constitutional revision for re-election. There is a high possibility that this drop in approval ratings will not be a temporary phenomenon. Warning signs are flashing for the Lee Jaemyung administration.

The Blue House’s perceived excessive intervention in policy matters is proving to be a boomerang. The more specifically the president and policy chief speak, the more ministries simply pay attention to the Blue House’s reactions. Rather than allaying anxiety, the ruling party is only exacerbating it. Fierce debates over whether the Democratic National Convention should be led by "pro-Lee" or "pro-Jeong Cheong-rae" factions are ongoing. The fact that the main focus is not on how to establish healthy relations between the party and the administration, but rather on who can best align themselves with the president, is not befitting of a party in power.

Above all, the president’s ambiguous stance is aggravating the crisis. This is why even within the progressive camp, there are calls for stronger checks and balances. Issues such as the controversy over constitutional revision for re-election, the inclusion of a controversial court-led dismissal of prosecution clauses in the Criminal Procedure Act amendment, and the push for a special prosecutor to cancel prosecutions all directly concern President Lee. It is time to put an end to unnecessary suspicions. President Lee must personally clarify his position and restore public trust. Only when there is water can a boat float. Without strong public support, it is impossible to secure the momentum needed for state administration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.