President Lee Jae Myung Approval Rating Hits 61% Following China State Visit

Six out of ten South Koreans support the current administration's direction. President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating climbed to 61%, buoyed by his recent diplomatic efforts in Beijing and popular economic support measures.

President Lee Jae Myung Approval Rating 61% in Latest NBS Poll

According to the National Barometer Survey (NBS) released on Thursday, January 8, positive assessment of the president's performance rose 2 percentage points from two weeks ago. Meanwhile, negative sentiment dropped to 29%. While the ruling Democratic Party saw a slight dip to 39%, the main opposition People Power Party gained ground, reaching 23%.

Policy Approval and the China Dilemma

Domestic economic policies remain a strong pillar for the administration. Support for vulnerable groups received a high approval of 62%, followed by policies for small and medium-sized enterprises at 50%. These figures suggest that the government's focus on the social safety net is resonating with the public. However, the nation remains divided on foreign policy. Roughly 48% of respondents believe Seoul should distance itself from Beijing to prioritize the South Korea–U.S. alliance, while 46% favor maintaining friendly ties for economic interests.

The poll comes immediately after President Lee's four-day visit to China, where he met with President Xi Jinping to coordinate on North Korean peace efforts. The survey involved 1,005 participants and has a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.