Yoon’s approval rating drops to new low

President Yoon Suk Yeol responds to press questions during a conference Thursday at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul. (Yonhap)

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s approval rating has fallen to a new low in the latest Gallup Korea poll released Friday, coming in at a record 17 percent.

The results, however, do not reflect reactions to Thursday’s press conference, which was met with mixed reactions.

The poll, conducted between Nov. 5 and 7, indicated that public sentiment has further deteriorated, with only 17 percent rating Yoon’s performance positively -- 2 percentage points lower than two weeks ago. Over the same period, those disapproving of his performance rose 2 percentage points to 74 percent.

Diplomatic relations were the most commonly cited reason for those approving Yoon’s performance, with 23 percent choosing the option.

For those giving negative assessments, controversy surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee was the most common reason with 19 percent, followed by economic issues at 11 percent.

Along with Yoon, the ruling People Power Party also saw ratings falling by 3 percentage points to 29 percent, while the main opposition Democratic Party’s rating came to 36 percent, up 4 percentage points compared to the previous poll.

By Lim Jae-seong(forestjs@heraldcorp.com)