[Editorial] The Warning of 36.8% in Seoul: Change Must Begin with the President

In the first week of August, a Realmeter survey showed that President Lee Jaemyung's positive approval rating for state affairs fell for the fourth consecutive week, reaching 43.3%. The gap with the negative approval rating, which stood at 53.0%, widened to 9.7 percentage points. Three notable points emerge from the data. First, support in Seoul dropped below the 40% mark to 36.8%. Second, even among those in their 40s and 50s—a core base of government support—ratings fell by more than ten percentage points compared to early June. Third, it is striking that the President's approval rating is now lower than that of the Democratic Party of Korea. This trend, exposed in a regular opinion poll more than a year into Lee’s presidency, cannot be dismissed lightly. It is not an issue to be written off as a one-time polling anomaly.

It is difficult to pinpoint a single cause for the decline. Dissatisfaction with real estate policy, unease over amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, and concern about the integration of the Military, Naval, and Air Force Academies have all intersected. Additionally, fierce clashes among party leadership candidates during the Democratic Party’s national convention left a poor impression. The so-called "scrap bus housing" remark by Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Hee also poured fuel on the fire. Comments by former Daegu mayor Hong Joonpyo—that “they are confusing reform with destruction, mistaking the breakdown of the existing order for reform”—are also not unrelated to this atmosphere.

The President's words and actions have also played a role. Statements such as "Curbing house prices is easier than cleaning a valley," "The Military Academy was at the center of three coups d'état. Wouldn’t integration reduce such risks?" and "Discord between ministries? If ministers do not argue, the public will," as well as a state management style involving micromanagement down to statistical details during Cabinet meetings, all point to the need for change. When state affairs become overly reliant on the President's judgment and explanations, there is less room for different voices from aides, ministers, or the ruling party to be reflected in policy. The Cabinet ends up looking only to the President and defers responsible decision-making.

The President must be the first to change. He should reduce the frequency of public statements and directives on individual issues, and demonstrate a willingness to listen to various perspectives and opposing arguments. President Lee should look back with an open mind on why his approval ratings are declining, and review the administration's messaging strategy. More time must be devoted to national, long-term, and strategic tasks. While core principles should be upheld, the means and pace of implementation must be recalibrated to reflect market and on-the-ground reactions. The signal from Seoul—where support stands at 36.8%—is a demand for a President who listens more, speaks less, and makes decisions together with the people.

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