Despite Ministers' Government Questioning and Briefing Explanations, Yoon's Public Opinion on State Administration Worsens

Some Ruling Party Members Call for "Reform of the Party-Government-Blue House Triad"
President Yoon Plans Political Strategy During Vacation... Possible Visits to Livelihood Sites
Senior Officials Not Taking Vacation Continue Policy Briefings to Persuade the Public

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The so-called influential ministers and star ministers of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration have been going back and forth between the National Assembly and the Presidential Office daily to explain the purpose of introducing new government policies, but public opinion appears to be worsening.

According to political circles on the 31st, a public opinion poll conducted by Korea Gallup from the 26th to 28th of this month targeting 1,000 people nationwide aged 18 and over (sampling error ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level; detailed survey information can be found on the respective polling agency’s website and the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website) showed that 28% of respondents answered that President Yoon was "doing well" in his duties, while negative evaluations recorded 62%.

Among those who gave negative evaluations, the largest proportion (21%) cited personnel issues, followed by lack of experience, qualifications, and incompetence, and neglect of the economy and people’s livelihoods, each accounting for 8%. In particular, some responses cited the establishment of the Police Bureau (4%) and the exposure of text messages by the ruling party’s internal conflict and Representative Kwon Seong-dong, who is acting party leader and floor leader (3%) as reasons for negative evaluations.

Excluding personnel and experience from the negative evaluation factors, the economy, experience, ruling party conflicts, and text message exposure, the economy and the establishment of the Police Bureau are directly related to policy. Despite the government’s influential ministers explaining the Yoon administration’s financial and real estate policies as well as police and legal administration during National Assembly government questioning sessions or presidential work reports followed by press briefings, it was pointed out that they were insufficient to convince the public.

In particular, regarding the establishment of the Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the government has emphasized democratic control over the expanding police powers following the "complete removal of prosecution’s investigative authority" (Geomsu Wanbak), but failed to persuade the public.

In the Korea Gallup public opinion poll conducted alongside the survey on President Yoon’s job performance in the fourth week of this month, 51% of respondents viewed the establishment of the Police Bureau as an excessive government measure to control the police organization, while only 33% saw it as a necessary measure to check police power abuse. Conversely, 59% believed that the nationwide meeting of police chiefs opposing the Police Bureau was a legitimate expression of opinion, while 26% viewed it as inappropriate collective action.

Within the ruling party, voices are emerging that reform is needed, viewing the People Power Party, the government assisting the president, and the Presidential Office as three pillars. On the same day, Representative Jo Su-jin referred to these three pillars and called for joint reform, and Governor Kim Tae-heum of Chungnam also demanded a full-scale reform through his social media. In response, the Presidential Office stated, "We are listening carefully to such remarks."

President Yoon is scheduled to take a summer vacation for five days starting August 1st, during which he plans to rest and contemplate future political strategies. It is also reported that plans to naturally visit livelihood sites and communicate with citizens are being considered.

Senior secretaries of the Presidential Office, whose schedules do not overlap with the president’s vacation, plan to continue briefings on the new government’s national tasks and current issues to intensify efforts to persuade the public.

A Presidential Office official said regarding the instructions given to aides before President Yoon’s vacation, "He expressed the intention that they should take sufficient rest and recharge so that they can continue to work thoroughly afterward."

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