South Korea's Lee Jae-myung Sees 67% Approval in National Poll, Highest Since Office
A nationwide poll published March 12 shows President Lee Jae-myung's job performance rated positively by 67%, unchanged from the previous survey and the highest mark since he took office. About 24% said he is doing poorly. The National Barometer Survey (NBS) results come from interviews with 1,002 adults aged 18 and over conducted March 9–11, with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Embrain Public, CaseStat Research, Korea Research, and Hankook Research conducted the survey for the National Barometer Survey (NBS). The study used telephone interviews with mobile numbers only, and the overall response rate was 17.3%.
Among age groups, positive evaluations were majority across all cohorts except those aged 18–29. By political leaning, positive assessments were strongest among the progressive camp (93%) and the moderates (71%), while conservatives were more likely to view the administration negatively (53%).
Trust in the administration was reported at 64% for “trust,” with 29% indicating they do not trust. In terms of policy areas, respondents gave the highest positive ratings to welfare policy (66%), followed by foreign policy (62%), overall economic policy (60%), real estate policy (57%), and North Korea policy (54%).
Compared with the prior poll, welfare, foreign policy, and North Korea policy showed little change. Real estate policy registered the largest swing, up 17 percentage points in positive assessments, while economic policy rose by 9 points.
Methodology details note that the results are published on the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website. The survey’s sample error is ±3.1 percentage points at 95% confidence, and the response rate stands at 17.3%.
Why this matters for the United States: South Korea is a pivotal U.S. ally and a major tech and semiconductor powerhouse, with domestic policy affecting regional security, supply chains, and market stability. Broad public support for welfare and housing policy can influence fiscal and regulatory choices that impact consumer demand and inflation, while sustained confidence in foreign and North Korea policy signals continuity in alliance diplomacy and regional security posture. Changes in housing and economic policy can also affect Korea’s trade and investment climate, with knock-on effects for U.S. firms and the broader tech-driven supply chain that connects Seoul to American markets.