President Lee Jae-myung (L) speaks during the second meeting of the emergency economic task force held at the presidential office in Seoul on June 9, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A new public opinion survey shows that a strong majority of South Koreans have confidence in President Lee Jae-myung’s ability to lead the nation, with 70 percent of respondents saying they expect him to perform well during his five-year term.
The poll, conducted by Gallup Korea from June 10 to 12, surveyed 1,000 adults nationwide and found that only 24 percent anticipated poor performance from the president, while 6 percent were undecided. The survey has a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
Support for President Lee was especially pronounced among Democratic Party supporters (98 percent), progressive respondents (92 percent), and residents of the Gwangju and Jeolla regions (95 percent). Among conservatives, opinions were split—45 percent said he would perform well, while 50 percent disagreed.
Compared to previous presidents surveyed within two weeks of taking office using the same methodology, Lee’s 70 percent confidence rating ranks behind only former President Moon Jae-in (87 percent) and Kim Young-sam (85 percent), but ahead of Lee Myung-bak, Park Geun-hye (both 79 percent), and Yoon Suk Yeol (60 percent).
When asked what they hoped to see from President Lee’s administration, 16 percent of respondents prioritized economic recovery and revitalization. Other commonly cited expectations included stronger welfare policies (6 percent), national unity and cooperation (5 percent), and a general hope that he “works hard” (6 percent).
Notably, 9 percent of conservative respondents said they hoped Lee would not avoid ongoing legal proceedings, while 9 percent of progressives emphasized ending the legacy of martial law and unrest.
President Lee Jae-myung receives applause during the 21st presidential inauguration ceremony held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 4, 2025. (Yonhap)
The poll also revealed a sharp shift in party support. The ruling Democratic Party’s approval rating rose to 46 percent—up seven points since the presidential election—while support for the conservative People Power Party fell to 21 percent, down 12 points.
Gallup noted that the 25-point gap between the two major parties is the largest in five years, rivaling levels last seen in the immediate aftermath of President Yoon’s impeachment vote in late 2024.
Smaller parties, including the Reform Party (5 percent), the Cho Kuk Innovation Party (4 percent), and the Progressive Party (1 percent), trailed significantly. Independents accounted for 21 percent of respondents.
Meanwhile, 49 percent of those surveyed said Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok is a suitable choice, compared to 23 percent who disagreed. Gallup noted that Kim’s approval rating is second only to Lee Nak-yon, who received 60 percent support when he was nominated as prime minister under the Moon administration.
The poll was conducted via live interviews with respondents contacted through randomly generated mobile numbers, with a contact rate of 44.9 percent and a response rate of 14.9 percent. Further details are available through South Korea’s National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
