Yoon’s approval rating hits new low amid controversies over personnel appointments

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s approval rating has sunk to the lowest since he took office in May, amid controversies over his personnel appointments and leadership turmoil in the ruling party, a poll showed Friday.

Yoon’s approval rating came to 24 percent, down 4 percentage points from the previous week, while 66 percent negatively assessed his handling of state affairs, up 4 percentage points. The poll was conducted by Gallup Korea on 1,001 voters nationwide from Tuesday to Thursday.

Yoon’s approval rating more than halved from 53 percent and his disapproval rating doubled from 33 percent since the second week of June.

In Friday’s poll, the rate of negative assessment was higher in most of responding groups, except for those in their 70s or above and ruling People Power Party (PPP) supporters.

As reasons for disapproval, Yoon’s personnel choices were cited the most at 23 percent, followed by lack of experience and qualifications at 10 percent, dogmatism at 8 percent and inadequate communication at 7 percent.

The government’s recent push to lower the elementary school entry age to five and the lack of efforts to look after people’s livelihoods were both cited by 5 percent of respondents.

Gallup said various issues, including the school entry age controversy, are behind the increase in Yoon’s disapproval rating, though he is on summer vacation this week.

On the favorability rating of political parties, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) garnered 39 percent support, up 3 percentage points from the previous poll, while Yoon’s PPP registered 34 percent, down 2 percentage point from the earlier survey.

It marked the first Gallup poll since Yoon took office in which the DP’s approval rating outstripped that of the PPP.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.