
AI-generated summary
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has been declining amid ongoing controversies involving judicial independence, security incidents in the DMZ, and economic pressures such as rising housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area.
SEOUL, Oct. 12 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell for the second consecutive week to 35.2 percent, a poll showed Monday, amid controversies over judicial independence and last month's mine blast near the border.
In the poll conducted on 1,504 adults nationwide from last Tuesday to Thursday by Realmeter, positive assessments of Lee's job performance fell by 2.2 percentage points from the previous week.
Negative assessments rose 1.6 percentage points to 61.4 percent.
"Controversies surrounding judicial independence involving Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, disputes between rival parties over mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), as well as rising rental and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area, all came under the spotlight during parliamentary audits, leading to the decline in approval ratings," the pollster said.
In a separate survey of 1,004 adults conducted last Wednesday and Thursday, support for the ruling Democratic Party fell 7 percentage points to 35.5 percent, while that of the main opposition People Power Party rose 2.9 percentage points to 41.3 percent.
The survey on the president had a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level, while the one on political parties had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
Both polls were commissioned by the Asia Business Daily.
AI outlook โ possibilities, not facts
Support for the ruling Democratic Party may continue to decline if controversies persist
Possible ยท Within weeks
The People Power Party may continue to gain support as the ruling party's approval weakens
Possible ยท Within weeks

Acting Police Commissioner Kim Jong-cheol stated that the police should take greater responsibility in relation to the transformation of the criminal justice system, including the abolition of the Prosecutor's Office, and said that he would ensure the completeness of cases by strengthening investigative personnel and expertise, maintaining political neutrality, and checking and cooperating with the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Office.

Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the People Power Party's DMZ-related offensive at the Supreme Committee of the National Assembly on the 12th and urged them to maintain national interest standards. He also announced that he would respond more strongly to recent hacking incidents in the financial sector and focus on protecting personal information and relieving damage.

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, urged President Lee Jae-myung to change his communication method, saying he only focuses on golf and social media and does not listen to the bitter voices of the people. He also criticized that next year's trip budget will be set at 52 billion won, the largest ever, and will be used to destroy allies and support leftist solidarity.
![President Lee's approval rating is 35.2%... โDowntrend due to negative news in personnel, security, and real estateโ [Real Meter] (comprehensive)](/api/img?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.yna.co.kr%2Fphoto%2Fyna%2FYH%2F2026%2F10%2F08%2FPYH2026100813430001300_P2.jpg&w=320&q=72&f=webp)
In a Realmeter survey, President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating for his performance of state affairs fell for two consecutive weeks to 35.2%, while the Democratic Party of Korea's approval rating fell 7.0 percentage points to 35.7% and the People Power Party's approval rating rose 2.9 percentage points to 41.3%, a reversal within the margin of error.
![President Lee's approval rating is 35.2%... Democratic Party 35.5%, National Power Party 41.3%, reversal within margin of error [Real Meter]](/api/img?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.yna.co.kr%2Fphoto%2Fyna%2FYH%2F2026%2F10%2F08%2FPYH2026100813430001300_P2.jpg&w=320&q=72&f=webp)
In a Realmeter survey, the positive evaluation of President Lee Jae-myung's performance in state affairs fell for two weeks in a row, reaching 35.2%, while the negative evaluation rose to 61.4%. Controversy over the independence of the judiciary, mine explosions in the DMZ, and negative real estate news were analyzed as causes.

Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, mentioned President Lee Jae-myung's Representative Kim emphasized that criticism is being expressed in an inappropriate way and that public officials should raise issues in a different way.