▲ President Lee Jae Myung talks with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in his first phone call since taking office at the presidential office in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2025, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Lee-approval rating

Lee's approval rating edges down to 54 pct: poll

SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating inched down to 54 percent, a survey showed Friday.

In a Gallup Korea survey of 1,001 adults conducted Tuesday through Thursday, the positive evaluation of Lee's performance declined 1 percentage point from the previous poll conducted in the fourth week of September.

The negative assessment of Lee rose 1 percentage point to 35 percent.

Among the respondents, 16 percent who gave a positive evaluation cited the economy, while 18 percent of those with a negative view pointed to diplomacy, followed by 8 percent who criticized visa-free entry for Chinese tourists and what they viewed as pro-China policies.

Gallup noted that before the extended Chuseok holiday from Oct. 3 to 9, negative sentiment largely focused on controversies surrounding Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's resignation.

In the latest survey, criticism related to policies on China and real estate were cited as reasons for negative assessment, it said.

The pollster also pointed out that public concerns over visa-free entry for Chinese nationals, a series of abductions and detentions of South Koreans in Cambodia and real estate measures announced earlier this week may have contributed to the negative sentiment.

The approval rating for the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party each rose 1 percentage point to 39 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

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