"President Lee's High Approval Ratings Are Not a 'Honeymoon Effect' but the Result of 'Administrative Competence'"

Analysts have concluded that President Lee Jaemyung's strong approval ratings in the 60% range are not simply the result of an early-term "honeymoon effect," but rather stem from his unique governance style grounded in policy consistency, administrative capability, pragmatic diplomacy, and direct communication.

Yonhap News Agency

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According to the Office of the President on March 7, the American foreign affairs journal "The Diplomat" published an article on March 6 (local time) titled "Lee Jae-myung Is a New Kind of President-and South Koreans Approve." The article assessed that President Lee’s approval ratings are not just the product of early-term expectations but are the outcome of a results-oriented leadership style. In a recent Korea Gallup poll, 65% of respondents gave a positive evaluation of President Lee's job performance, far outpacing the 25% negative rating. This matches his all-time high approval rating recorded on July 4 of the previous year. The top reasons cited for positive evaluations were economic policy, housing policy, and diplomacy.

The Diplomat identified four pillars as the core of President Lee’s leadership: persistent policy consistency; transactional diplomacy; radical communication; and a servant-leader philosophy. The analysis noted that he has redefined the presidency by prioritizing results, execution, and outcomes over symbolism and rhetoric.

Policy consistency was highlighted as the key foundation for President Lee’s high approval. Drawing on his verified administrative experience as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province, he is a rare leader who swiftly translates campaign pledges into policy after taking office. The Diplomat pointed out that during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam, he declared a moratorium in the face of a fiscal crisis and restored fiscal soundness through austerity measures and budget efficiency. At the same time, by implementing welfare policies such as basic income and youth allowances, he demonstrated that fiscal responsibility and expanded social policies can coexist.

The article also noted that as governor of Gyeonggi Province, President Lee was recognized for administrative actions aimed at dismantling local cartels and entrenched interests. Representative examples included the removal of illegal structures occupying valleys, restoration of public waterways, and the push to mandate the installation of closed-circuit (CC) TV cameras in operating rooms. The Diplomat emphasized that his actions prioritized the public interest over institutional resistance.

This administrative experience was analyzed as having expanded into nationwide policy initiatives once in office. In particular, the universal support payment of 250,000 won per person, distributed via local currency after the presidential election, was assessed as a policy designed to stimulate the local economy and traditional markets.

President Lee was also credited with producing unexpected results in the field of diplomacy. Although he did not have extensive formal diplomatic experience, he excelled at building relationships with other leaders and engaging in pragmatic negotiations. In his dealings with major countries such as Brazil, Japan, China, and the United States, he prioritized national interests and tangible outcomes over ideology.

With Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, The Diplomat noted that President Lee formed an emotional bond based on their shared experiences with poverty and labor. In a recent summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, President Lee demonstrated a surprising rapport and proved his ability to manage bilateral relations. The article highlighted how, at the end of the summit, the two leaders spontaneously played the buk together, drawing public attention.

Regarding China, The Diplomat observed that President Lee aimed to position Korea as a strategic buffer zone amid competition between China and Japan. At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, he sought to ease tensions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, even addressing sensitive security issues directly with humor.

Most notably, the article cited the summit with U.S. President Donald Trump as a defining moment. Despite the tense climate of tariff negotiations, President Lee secured agreement on Korea's strategic objective of developing nuclear-powered submarines. By establishing a "transactional burden-sharing" framework, he achieved a breakthrough that had eluded previous administrations for decades, demonstrating strong negotiating skills even in an "America First" diplomatic environment.

His communication style was also cited as a key strength. The Diplomat noted that President Lee used social media (SNS) not merely for publicity, but as a real-time tool for governance, disrupting the traditionally closed transmission structure of the presidency. As mayor of Seongnam, he posted photos of broken sidewalk blocks and directly instructed responsible officials to make repairs, connecting with citizens in real time. After he became president, he expanded this approach nationwide. Broadcasting cabinet meetings live, and communicating directly through X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, were also seen as measures to gauge public opinion in real time and maintain a sense of urgency in national governance.

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Finally, The Diplomat analyzed President Lee’s popularity as rooted in a servant-leadership philosophy, or so-called "leadership of service." By viewing power not as a privilege but as a responsibility entrusted by the people, and defining the president as a public servant carrying out the will of the people, his approach has shown broad appeal even among centrist voters across party lines. The Diplomat concluded, "President Lee is demonstrating that, over the long term, administrative competence-not political theatrics-is the most sustainable force supporting the presidency."

Meanwhile, Korea Gallup announced that from March 3 to 5, it surveyed 1,001 adults aged 18 or older nationwide, and found that 65% of respondents gave a positive evaluation of President Lee’s job performance. The survey was conducted using random-digit-dialing of mobile phone virtual numbers, with interviews conducted by telephone surveyors. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The contact rate was 44.7%, and the response rate was 11.9%.

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