Democratic Party at 35.5%, People Power Party at 41.3%... Ruling Party Approval Rating Hits Record Low

[Anchor]

Approval ratings showed the Democratic Party at 35.5% and the People Power Party at 41.3%. Support for the Democratic Party fell 7 percentage points from last week, marking the lowest figure since the inauguration of the current administration.

Reporter Go Jeong-hyeon has the details.

[Reporter]

According to a survey of party support conducted by pollster Realmeter over two days starting October 7 among 1,004 adults aged 18 and older nationwide, the Democratic Party stood at 35.5%, followed by the People Power Party at 41.3%, the Rebuilding Korea Party at 6.3%, the Reform Party at 2.8%, and the Progressive Party at 1.2%.

The Democratic Party dropped 7 percentage points compared to last week, while the People Power Party rose 2.9 percentage points, with the Democratic Party's approval rating reaching its lowest level since the current administration took office.

By ideological leaning, the Democratic Party recorded 59.5% among progressives, down 14 percentage points from last week; by age group, it fell 17 percentage points to 36.7% among those in their 40s; and by gender, it dropped 10.5 percentage points among men to 30.7%.

Realmeter analyzed that unfavorable factors—including clashes in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee concerning Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, conflicts with the Rebuilding Korea Party over the overhaul of investigative powers, and instability in the capital region's jeonse and monthly rental housing market—overlapped, leading to an exodus of core supporters, particularly among progressives and people in their 40s, and causing a significant decline in the Democratic Party's approval rating.

In a survey on President Lee Jae-myung's state affairs performance conducted over three days starting October 6 among 1,504 adults aged 18 and older nationwide, positive ratings stood at 35.2%, while negative ratings were 61.4%.

Positive ratings fell 2.2 percentage points compared to last week's survey, while negative ratings rose 1.6 percentage points, widening the gap to 26.2 percentage points.

Realmeter analyzed that negative issues—such as controversies surrounding judicial independence and clashes between the ruling and opposition parties over a DMZ landmine explosion—became central issues during the parliamentary audit, appearing to have driven the decline in approval ratings.

(Video by Park Ji-in | Graphics by Jaegal Chan, JUNHO)

※