South Korea's Lee Jae-myung Reaches 66% Approval in Gallup Poll
A Gallup Korea poll released in mid-March shows President Lee Jae-myung with a 66% approval rating, up 1 percentage point from the previous week and the highest level since his government took office. Disapproval sits at 24%, with 11% undecided, based on a nationwide survey of 1,002 adults conducted March 10–12, 2026.
The results matter beyond Korea because South Korea is a key ally of the United States and a major global technology producer. Public support for the president can influence policy on economics, diplomacy, and security, all of which affect Washington’s diplomacy, defense posture, and the health of supply chains tied to semiconductor firms and other high-tech sectors.
Among respondents, the strongest positive reasons for support centered on the economy and living conditions (20%), followed by diplomacy (10%), overall performance, housing policy, and communication (each 8%). Negative views cited concerns about the economy and living standards along with exchange rates (16%), diplomacy issues, perceptions of autocracy or unilateral decision-making (each 8%), and a general sense of mismanagement (7%).
Regionally, support was above 50% in all areas except Daegu–Gyeongbuk, where it stood at 49%. The highest regional approval was in Gwangju–Jeolla at 83%, with Daejeon–Chungcheong at 71%, Incheon–Gyeonggi at 67%, Seoul at 65%, and Busan–Ulsan–Gyeongsang at 57%.
Demographically, approval was strongest among those in their 40s (79%) and weakest among people in their 20s (49%). In other words, younger voters were notably less supportive than middle-aged citizens.
Party preference in the poll shows the ruling Democratic Party at 47% and the main opposition People Power Party at 20%, with the DP edging up 1 point and the PPP down 1 point from the prior survey. Smaller parties and independents collectively accounted for the remainder, including Justice Party at 2% and other minor parties at 1% each, with independents at 28%.
On political leanings, 79% of respondents on the progressive side supported the Democratic Party, while 53% of conservatives backed the People Power Party. Centrists leaned toward the DP at 51%, with 12% supporting the PPP and 31% not aligning with any party.
The survey also asked about a policy issue: 81% supported lowering the upper age limit for “juvenile offenders” under Korea’s juvenile law, from the current threshold of under 14. Respondents who opposed this were 13%, with 6% undecided. This reflects broader debates over youth crime policy and social protections in Korea.
Methodology and context: the survey used random-digit-dialing mobile numbers and conducted interviews with adults aged 18 and over. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at 95% confidence. The contact rate was 44.4%, and the response rate was 11.9%. Details and full tables are available on Gallup Korea’s site.