Lee Jae-myung Approval Rating 60 Percent: China Diplomacy Drives Rebound

Sixty percent of the public now stands behind the president. Lee Jae-myung's approval rating surged this week as voters rallied behind his recent diplomatic maneuvers in China.

Lee Jae-myung Approval Rating 60 Percent: The Power of Diplomacy

According to a Gallup Korea poll conducted from Tuesday to Thursday, President Lee Jae-myung's positive performance rating climbed 5 percentage points from mid-December to reach 60%. Meanwhile, negative sentiment dropped to 33%, down from 36% in the previous survey.

The primary driver behind this boost is foreign policy. Roughly 30% of supporters cited diplomacy as their top reason for a positive assessment. This follows Lee's four-day state visit to China, where he held high-stakes talks with Xi Jinping. The summit addressed sensitive territorial issues in the Yellow Sea and coordinated efforts regarding North Korea, which seems to have restored public confidence in his leadership on the global stage.

Key Poll Indicators and Party Support

• 1st: Presidential Approval (60%, up 5% pts)
• 2nd: Democratic Party (45% support)
• 3rd: People Power Party (26% support)
• 4th: Negative Assessment (33%)

Despite the diplomatic win, the domestic economy remains a thorn in the administration's side. Only 14% pointed to economic management as a positive, while critics focused heavily on livelihood issues. The survey, involving 1,000 adults, has a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.