President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee board the presidential jet to return home following their trip to Laos for an ASEAN summit, Oct. 11 (local time). Yonhap
President Yoon Suk Yeol reached the halfway point of his five-year term, Sunday, but there is little to celebrate. His midterm report card is marked by an approval rating below 20 percent, making Yoon one of Korea's least popular leaders at this stage of a presidency.
Analysts attribute Yoon's plummeting ratings to policy missteps, poor communication with the public and ongoing controversies involving his wife Kim Keon Hee. These factors have become major hurdles for the president in his attempts to carry out his reform agenda.
The conservative president took office in May 2022 with an initial approval rating of around 53 percent. However, a Gallup Korea poll released Friday shows his rating has plummeted to 17 percent — the lowest in his term so far.
Yoon's current approval rating is significantly lower than those of his predecessors at the same point in their terms. Former progressive President Moon Jae-in held a 45 percent rating in November 2019, while conservative President Park Geun-hye's approval rating stood at 34 percent in August 2015, according to Gallup Korea, which has conducted weekly evaluations of presidential job performance since 2012.
The deepening public dissatisfaction with Yoon is seen in large-scale rallies in central Seoul, where liberal civic groups and left-leaning political coalitions have called for his resignation.
The latest protest, held Saturday afternoon, was led by members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the country's largest labor union. According to organizers, the rally drew nearly 100,000 participants, including university professors, students and members of the public.
Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions hold placards calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment during a rally near Seoul Station, Saturday. Yonhap
Later that evening, a coalition of five opposition parties, including the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), gathered near Seoul Station to denounce Yoon's handling of state affairs. Other participating parties — the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP), the Jinbo Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Basic Income Party — called for Yoon's impeachment.
Political commentator Park Sang-byung viewed that Yoon's dismal approval ratings have led to a lack of political momentum to drive his key promises in reforming labor, education, health care and pensions.
"It is highly rare, if not unprecedented, for a president to be this unpopular at the halfway mark of their term. With this trend, it's unlikely he will achieve all four reforms in the remaining years," Park told The Korea Times.
Among others, controversies surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee continue to haunt the president. Public discontent about Kim has been considered a major factor dragging down Yoon's approval rating.
The first lady has been facing a slew of allegations, including her acceptance of luxury gifts, alleged involvement in stock manipulation and suspected interference in government affairs. Last month, prosecutors cleared her of charges in a luxury handbag scandal and also her alleged involvement in stock manipulation.
Recently, the presidential couple has been accused of meddling in the ruling People Power Party's candidate selection for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. These accusations emerged after the release of a recorded phone conversation between Yoon and political broker Myung Tae-kyun, in which Yoon, then president-elect, appeared to exert influence on the party's candidate selection process. It is illegal for civil servants, including the president, to interfere in elections.
In a rare press conference on Thursday, Yoon acknowledged public concerns over his wife's controversies and issued his first public apology since taking office. However, he denied that Kim played any official role in state affairs, explaining that she has been giving him personal advice as a spouse.
The president also pledged that Kim would limit her public appearances to essential events. The following day, the presidential office confirmed she would not accompany him on an upcoming overseas trip.
But skipping one overseas trip is not enough to dispel the public's negative sentiment about Kim, commentator Park said, describing the controversies surrounding her as a “black hole” that could undermine her husband's leadership.
President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a press conference held at the presidential office in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
“With investigations surrounding Myung Tae-kyun now underway, these issues will likely continue to resurface, and the president's opponents will continue using this as a source of attack,” Park said. "The president might eventually have to accept requests for a special counsel to investigate his wife before it expands to include himself."
Political commentator Rhee Jong-hoon pointed to blunders in personnel appointments as a key reason behind Yoon's unpopularity.
"The president needs to first overhaul the presidential staff, particularly those with personal ties to the first lady. If the president makes fair appointments by selecting capable individuals and shows a willingness to change his governing style, his ratings could recover," Rhee said.