S.Korean President's approval rating drops to lowest since May

Seoul, Oct 16 (IANS) South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has dropped to 34 per cent, marking the lowest level since May, a new poll revealed on Monday.

The opinion poll, conducted by polling agency Realmeter, showed the positive assessment of Yoon's performance decreased by 3.7 percentage points from the previous week, while 62.2 per cent of respondents disapproved of his performance, up 2.4 percentage points from the same period, reports Yonhap News Agency.

This marks the first time since the first week of May that his approval rating has fallen below the 35 per cent level.

The pollster did not provide a reason for the decline, but major issues during the survey period include the ruling People Power Party's crushing defeat in the by-election for Seoul's Gangseo Ward office.

The approval rating of the PPP fell by 4.3 percentage points from the previous week to 32 per cent, marking its lowest point since the Yoon administration took office last May.

On the other hand, the approval rating of the main opposition Democratic Party advanced by 2.9 percentage points from the previous week, reaching 50.7 per cent, marking the highest level under the current administration, the poll showed.