Seoul: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s approval rating stands at 37.5 per cent ahead of this week’s first anniversary of his inauguration, a new survey revealed on Tuesday.
The Yonhap News Agency-Yonhap News TV joint survey also showed the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) would win 32 per cent and 30 per cent of the vote, respectively, if next year’s parliamentary elections were to take place tomorrow.
Seven out of 10 people also said they are worried about South Korea’s security, the survey showed, amid a series of North Korean missile launches, and tensions with Russia over Ukraine and with China over the cross-strait issue.
Yonhap News Agency and Yonhap News TV jointly commissioned the survey to gauge public sentiment ahead of Yoon’s first anniversary in office, which falls on Wednesday.
The survey was conducted May 6-7 on 1,000 adults aged 18 or older.
According to the poll, the positive assessment of Yoon’s performance was 37.5 per cent, while the negative assessment came to 60 per cent.
The poll showed 63.4 per cent of respondents in their 60s and 57.3 per cent living in Daegu and North Gyeongsang province gave positive feedback on hiss performance.
In contrast, 75.1 and 74.7 per cent of respondents in their 30s and 40s, respectively, gave a negative assessment, the poll showed.
Defence and diplomacy were the factors most cited by respondents in giving positive assessments of Yoon’s performance, followed by science, health care, culture and the economy, the poll showed.
In contrast, the economy was the factor most cited by respondents in giving negative assessments.
The poll showed 55.5 per cent of respondents gave a positive assessment on Yoon’s state visit to the US in late April.
Regarding the direction of South Korea-Japan relations, 55.4 per cent of respondents said a sincere apology from Tokyo over colonial-era issues is a priority in mending ties.
In terms of future agenda items for the Yoon administration, 39.1 per cent said the government should focus on the economy and job creation.
Meanwhile, 69.5 per cent of respondents said they were worried about security due to various issues, such as North Korean provocations, tensions with Russia over the possibility of South Korea providing non-humanitarian aid to Ukraine and tensions with China over the issue of Taiwan.
Only 29.5 per cent of respondents said they were not worried about security issues.
Meanwhile, the PPP and the DP would be running neck and neck in a race for next year’s parliamentary elections.
Of the respondents, 32.3 per cent would pick candidates from the PPP, while 30.2 per cent would pick from the DP, the poll showed.
The poll showed 3.8 per cent of respondents would pick the minor opposition Justice Party candidates, while 16.7 per cent had no preference for candidates.
In detail, 76.1 per cent of respondents giving a positive assessment of Yoon’s performance said they would vote for PPP candidates.
In contrast, 48.6 per cent of respondents giving a negative assessment of Yoon’s performance said they would pick DP candidates for parliamentary seats.
–IANS
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