South Korea’s Lee approval rating rises to 65%

March 6 (Asia Today) — South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s approval rating rose to 65%, matching its highest level since he took office, according to a new national poll released Thursday.

A survey conducted by Korea Gallup from Monday through Wednesday among 1,001 adults nationwide found 65% of respondents approved of Lee’s job performance, up 1 percentage point from the previous week. Negative evaluations fell 1 point to 25%.

The poll shows Lee’s approval rating has increased steadily in recent weeks, rising from 63% in mid-February to 64% in late February and reaching 65% in the latest survey.

The figure matches the peak level recorded in early July shortly after Lee’s administration began, marking a return to the highest level in about eight months.

Regionally, approval exceeded 60% in most parts of the country, except in the conservative strongholds of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, where support stood at 49%, and Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province, where it reached 58%.

Support was strongest in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, where Lee recorded a 94% approval rating.

Across age groups, approval ratings exceeded 50% among all generations. Support was highest among voters in their 40s at 79% and those in their 50s at 77%. Among centrist voters, approval reached 70%.

Respondents who evaluated Lee positively most frequently cited economic and livelihood policies at 18%, followed by real estate policy at 16% and foreign policy at 11%.

Among those with negative views, the most common reasons included dissatisfaction with real estate and economic policies at 13%, concerns about changes to laws at 8% and criticism of authoritarian leadership at 7%.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260306010001693