Kim Ou-joon: "Lee Jae Myung's Approval Rating Will Fall into the 20% Range Within a Month"; Chin Jung-kwon: "I Agree"

[Financial News] Broadcaster Kim Ou-joon predicted that President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating for his handling of state affairs could fall into the 20% range within a month. Chin Jung-kwon, a professor at Dongyang University whose political views are diametrically opposed to Kim's, said he "agreed" and urged Lee to change his governing approach.

On the 8th, Professor Chin appeared on the YouTube channel 'Sisa Journal TV' and referred to Kim's prediction that Lee's approval rating could fall into the 20% range within a month. He warned, "If he continues with this attitude, that is bound to happen."
The previous day, Kim said on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory' that, regarding the downward trend in Lee's approval rating, "If this trend continues, there is a high possibility that a 2 will appear at the front within a month."
However, Professor Chin said, "We differ in our diagnosis of the cause," interpreting Kim's concern as a sense of disappointment that the ruling party's core supporters had not received sufficient consideration. Chin, by contrast, argued, "From the public's perspective, his approval rating is falling because President Lee is choosing to do only things that go against public sentiment."
Professor Chin cited recent problems with real-estate policy, controversy over personnel vetting, and judicial issues as causes of Lee's declining approval rating.
He noted, "As statements that seem to have lost touch with reality and policy failures continue, there is no visible momentum capable of raising his approval rating again." He also pointed to controversies surrounding Kim Seung-won, nominee for Minister of Justice, and Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, as factors that could drive the rating down further.

Professor Chin also argued that Lee's judicial risks were linked to the decline in his approval rating.
He said, "The administration's governing approach has become, 'I will save only myself' and 'I will never stand trial.'" He added, "He needs to break away from this."
He continued, "The president must say, 'I will stand trial just like every other citizen,' 'I will prove my innocence,' and 'Even if I fail to prove it and end up in prison, I will willingly go.'" He assessed, "He must uphold the law and find a political way out. Then he will become a president loved by the people."
Meanwhile, a Realmeter poll commissioned by Energy Economy Newspaper surveyed 2,510 people aged 18 or older nationwide from the 31st of last month to the 4th of this month. The results showed that 37.4% viewed Lee's handling of state affairs positively, down 1.5 percentage points from the previous week. This was the lowest level since he took office and marked the eighth consecutive week of decline.
The negative rating stood at 59.5%, up 0.8 percentage points from the previous week. It exceeded the positive rating beyond the margin of error for the sixth consecutive week. The share of respondents who answered "Don't know" was 3.1%.
The poll was conducted using a wireless automated response system. The presidential approval rating survey had a margin of error of ±2.0 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, with a response rate of 4.2%. Further details are available on the website of the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission.
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter