The approval ratings for the Democratic Party continue to decline, deepening the concerns of its leader, Kim Min-seok. After promising to raise the party's approval rating by more than 10% within his first 100 days in office, experts now stress the urgent need for Kim to address internal conflicts.
According to a survey conducted by Realmeter on October 7-8, commissioned by Asia Economy, the Democratic Party's approval rating stands at 35.5%, while the People Power Party's rating is at 41.3%. This marks a 7.0% drop for the Democratic Party compared to the previous week, while the People Power Party saw a 2.9% increase.
Experts argue that Kim must reconcile with the party's hardliners, including Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae and lawmaker Kim Yong-min, as well as address relations with the pro-government Justice Innovation Party.
Political analyst Lee Jong-hoon stated, "The primary issue is the internal conflicts within the progressive camp. As party leader, Kim should emphasize unity in the early stages of his leadership." He noted that despite Kim's recent focus on public welfare, the approval ratings have not improved, asserting that addressing internal divisions should take precedence over other initiatives.
Analysts Park Sang-byeong and Choi Yong-han also emphasized that if Kim understands the weight of his position, he should avoid targeting hardliners with his messages. They pointed out that ongoing conflicts related to Kim Ji-yong, the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, have contributed to the party's struggles.
Experts predict that the Democratic Party's declining approval ratings will continue for the foreseeable future, stressing the need for effective governance to support a rebound. Professor Shin Yul from Myongji University remarked, "Once approval ratings drop, it is difficult to recover. If things remain as they are, negative evaluations will likely persist in the long term."
Park added that with both strong supporters and moderates distancing themselves from the party, there is currently no catalyst for a rebound. However, he noted that if the Yoon administration can operate smoothly, it could lead to an increase in approval ratings alongside President Lee Jae-myung's support.
Choi predicted that the decline in approval ratings might continue until the end of this year or early next year, stating that the reversal of ratings will depend on the actions of President Lee. He urged the Democratic Party to solidify its stance on key issues.
Furthermore, experts suggested that the Democratic Party should focus on public welfare issues, such as housing policies, rather than engaging in political disputes over Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's rejection of judicial appointments and other legislative actions.
Professor Shin noted, "The Democratic Party's aggressive stance against Chief Justice Cho and the passage of various bills unilaterally have led to a drop in approval ratings. The lack of specific responses to housing issues is causing moderates to drift away from the party."
Park also emphasized the need to concentrate on housing policies to win back moderate voters, predicting that if housing policies succeed and stabilize property prices, approval ratings will rise.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.