Yoon Suk Yeol on Approval Rating
TL;DR
Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has frequently trended low, punctuated by severe dips following major political events like his martial law declaration.
Key Points
His approval rating hit a historic low of 11 percent in December 2024, shortly after his martial law declaration.
In early 2024, before major later events, his support reached near 40 percent, citing medical school enrollment increases and foreign policy as key drivers.
The president's administration was reportedly forced to reconsider a proposal to increase the maximum work week after public unrest contributed to low approval ratings.
Summary
Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidency has been characterized by an approval rating that generally remains low, often falling below 40 percent after his inauguration in May 2022 and showing difficulty in recovering to that level. Significant political events have caused sharp drops, with one instance showing his support plunging to as low as 11 percent following a controversial, short-lived martial law imposition in December 2024. Dissatisfaction among the public is often attributed to issues concerning the economy, livelihood, inflation, and perceived insufficient communication from his administration.
Despite these low figures, there have been periods of modest increase, sometimes attributed to specific policy pushes like efforts to increase medical school enrollment or diplomatic successes, though these gains have proven volatile. The president's response to crises, such as proactively uniting his base after the martial law declaration, has been cited by experts as a factor in preventing the historically catastrophic collapse seen in previous administrations facing similar pressures. However, the overall trend suggests a strong and consistent negative sentiment from the South Korean public regarding his performance as president.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has generally trended low, frequently sitting below the 40 percent mark since the initial months of his presidency. This continuous low support is sometimes contrasted with higher figures achieved by a predecessor during comparable periods.
The president's approval ratings saw a sharp decline following his declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, with some polls showing support plummeting to as low as 11 percent. Many respondents cited this imposition as the primary reason for their disapproval.
Yes, there have been reports of an unexpected rebound in his approval rating following the low point after the martial law crisis. Experts suggest this recovery is partly driven by conservative voters uniting against the opposition leader.
Sources7
Update on South Korea's Presidential Approval Ratings | SPRING
Why is Yoon's approval rating rebounding? - The Korea Times
Yoon's approval rating down to 11%: Gallup Korea - The Korea Herald
All Politics Are Local: Yoon's Newfound Popularity - CSIS
The secret to Yoon's supposed 40% approval rating? Leading questions in biased poll
Old poll numbers falsely shared as South Korean president's post-impeachment approval ratings | Fact Check
Pres. Yoon's approval rating hits record low of 17 percent : r/korea
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.