President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating rebounded for the first time in three weeks to 37.3%, according to a poll released on the 19th. In party support, the People Power Party led the Democratic Party by 4.7 percentage points, though the gap remained within the margin of error.
Lee's Approval at 37.3%, First Rise in Three Weeks
Realmeter, a polling firm, surveyed 2,520 people aged 18 and over nationwide from the 12th to the 16th at the request of Asia Economy. Positive assessments of Lee's handling of state affairs came to 37.3%, up 2.1 percentage points from the previous week.
Negative assessments fell 1.0 percentage point to 60.4%. The gap between positive and negative assessments was 23.1 percentage points, outside the margin of error. Those who said they did not know accounted for 2.3%.
By region, positive assessments in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province rose 6.0 percentage points to 39.0% from 33.0%. In Daejeon, Sejong and the Chungcheong region, the figure rose 3.6 percentage points to 37.3%. In Gwangju and the Jeolla region, it fell 5.0 percentage points to 54.7% from 59.7%.
By age group, those aged 70 and over showed the largest increase, rising 8.1 percentage points to 39.8%. Respondents in their 60s also rose 3.6 percentage points to 41.8%. Those in their 30s fell 3.3 percentage points to 28.0%.
Realmeter said the recovery was influenced by the government's measures against violent crime following a knife attack in Incheon and its emphasis on policies affecting daily life, including housing, jobs and finance.
The firm added that the upward momentum stalled late in the survey period as financial market jitters spread amid a sharp stock market decline, giving back part of the gains recorded early in the week.
People Power Party 40.9%, Democratic Party 36.2%
In party support, the People Power Party maintained a higher rating than the Democratic Party, but the gap between the two narrowed.
Realmeter surveyed 1,005 eligible voters aged 18 and over nationwide on the 15th and 16th. The People Power Party stood at 40.9% and the Democratic Party at 36.2%.
The People Power Party fell 0.4 percentage point from the previous week, while the Democratic Party rose 0.7 percentage point. The gap between the two narrowed to 4.7 percentage points from 5.8 percentage points a week earlier. The gap has stayed within the margin of error for nine consecutive weeks.
The Rebuilding Korea Party rose 0.6 percentage point from the previous week to 6.9%. The New Reform Party stood at 1.8%, the Progressive Party at 1.1% and other parties at 2.2%. Respondents who said they supported no party accounted for 11.1%.
Realmeter said the Democratic Party's security response, including its condemnation of North Korea's landmine provocation, helped broaden support among some groups. It said internal conflict within the People Power Party over whether to hold a revote in Yongin A contributed to defections among its traditional base.
Both surveys were conducted entirely by automated response system via mobile phone, with response rates of 2.7% each.
The survey on the president's handling of state affairs had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.0 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, while the party support survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the same confidence level. Further details are available on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.