[PollPollNews] President Lee's Approval Rating Gives Up Gains Despite KOSPI 5000 and New Year's Press Conference

President Lee Jaemyung's approval rating remained unchanged from last week, showing a 'steady' trend. Although there was an upward trend at the beginning of the week due to factors such as the KOSPI surpassing 5,000 and the New Year's press conference, there was no change in his approval rating compared to last week, partly due to the controversy surrounding the withdrawal of former Minister of Planning and Budget nominee Lee Hyehoon.

According to a public opinion poll released by Realmeter on the 26th (commissioned by Energy Economy News, conducted via wireless phone ARS from the 19th to the 23rd among 2,509 men and women aged 18 and older nationwide, with a margin of error of ±2.0 percentage points at a 95% confidence level and a response rate of 4.1%), President Lee's approval rating was recorded at 53.1%, the same as last week.

Support in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province rose by 8.0 percentage points (from 40.0% to 48.0%), in Gwangju and Jeolla by 7.7 percentage points (from 74.6% to 82.3%), and among those in their 30s by 5.1 percentage points (from 42.9% to 48.0%). Looking at President Lee's daily approval rating trends, it increased from the beginning of the week (January 20, 53.3%) to midweek (January 21, 55.9%), but showed a decline toward the end of the week (January 23, 50.9%).

Lee Hyehoon, nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget, is attending the confirmation hearing of the Finance and Economy Planning Committee held at the National Assembly on the 23rd and responding to questions from members of the committee. 2026.1.23 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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Realmeter explained, "The upward trend continued until midweek due to the historic economic boost of the KOSPI surpassing 5,000 and the effect of the New Year's press conference. However, in the latter part of the week, the confirmation hearing over former nominee Lee's 'illegal apartment application and abuse of power' allegations, as well as internal party merger controversies within the ruling party, acted as personnel risks and sources of political turmoil." On the 25th, the Office of the President announced, "As Minister of Planning and Budget in the government of popular sovereignty, the nominee failed to meet public expectations," and withdrew the nomination of former nominee Lee.

In the party support poll (commissioned by Energy Economy News, conducted via wireless phone ARS from the 22nd to the 23rd among 1,000 men and women aged 18 and older nationwide, with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level and a response rate of 4.1%), support for the Democratic Party rose by 0.2 percentage points from last week to 42.7%. Support for the People Power Party increased by 2.5 percentage points to 39.5%. The Cho Kuk Innovation Party recorded 3.2%, and the Reform New Party recorded 3.1%.

For more details on the opinion polls, please refer to the website of the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

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