Yoon's approval plummets to all-time low of 20%

Only one-fifth of all Koreans approve of President Yoon Suk Yeol's performance, according to the latest poll from Gallup Korea.

President Yoon Suk Yeol [KIM HYUN-DONG]

Just one-fifth of all Koreans support President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to a recent approval rating poll announced on Friday.

The recent polling showed Yoon’s approval rating has hit a historic low since his 2022 inauguration.

Korea Gallup, which surveyed 1,002 adults over the age of 18 between Tuesday and Thursday, said 70 percent of respondents disapproved of Yoon’s handling of state affairs. It noted that the recent disapproval rating is the highest since the president's term began.

Only 20 percent answered in favor of Yoon.

Compared to the previous week’s survey, his support fell by three percentage points, while his disapproval rating rose by three percentage points.

The polling company said that "nearly half of all people aged over 70 who identify as conservatives expressed discontent over Yoon’s performance.” The demographic group used to be known as his key political support base.

Of those who disapproved of Yoon, 18 percent cited an “expansion of the medical recruitment quota” as their reason. Some 12 percent attributed their stance to his “mismanagement of the economy and people’s livelihoods.” The third-most cited reason was “poor communication,” which was chosen by 10 percent. Eight percent of respondents cited Yoon’s “unilateral decision-making and lack of consultation.”

The expansion of the medical recruitment quota has remained the most significant reason for dislike toward Yoon for two consecutive weeks.

A report from the JoongAng Ilbo on Friday analyzed that older adults’ concern toward medical service disruptions — caused by conflict between the government and the medical community — swayed their antagonism toward Yoon.

Some 15 percent of the respondents with favorable views of Yoon cited “diplomacy” as their choice. The second-most preferred reason was an “expansion of the medical recruitment quota” at 14 percent, followed by “determination” at over five percent.

By region, Yoon’s approval rating in Seoul plunged by 10 percentage points over a week, landing at 21 percent. The North Gyeongsang and Daegu regions logged a 35 percent approval rating, and Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang came in at 22 percent.

The president's approval ratings in Incheon and Gyeonggi reached 20 percent. His rating in Daejeon, Sejong and Chungcheong came to 19 percent. The Gwangju and Jeolla provinces showed an eight percent approval rating.

By age, 37 percent of respondents aged over 70 were positive toward Yoon. Some 32 percent of people in their 60s said they assessed his performance positively, and some 16 percent did so when it came to people in their 50s.

Only 8 percent of people in their 40s approved of Yoon’s performance. Of respondents between 30 and 40, only 18 percent responded favorably, while 13 percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 expressed support for Yoon.

The liberal Democratic Party, the main opposition in parliament, received support from 33 percent of respondents. Its rival, the president’s conservative People Power Party (PPP), had support from 28 percent.

The support for the PPP slid by three percentage points, also marking an all-time low since the start of Yoon’s term.

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s Rebuilding Korea Party, opposed to the Yoon administration, received support from 8 percent of respondents, while the minor conservative Reform Party recorded 2 percent.

Some 26 percent of respondents identified themselves as swing voters with no particular political alignment.

The survey had a confidence interval of 95 percent and a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]