Lee Jae Myung approval rating falls to 43% amid Hormuz deployment opposition
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating dropped to 43% while 48% disapproved as domestic resistance against sending military assets to the Strait of Hormuz intensified.
A National Barometer Survey released Thursday indicated President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell to 43%, marking a seven percentage point decline from two weeks earlier. Meanwhile, 48% of respondents expressed disapproval, ending the first biweekly poll in nearly two years where disapproval surpassed approval since he took office in June 2025. The survey revealed 45% opposed deploying military assets, including maritime patrol aircraft and support ships, to the Strait of Hormuz, compared with only 36% who supported such a move. Opposition was strongest among respondents aged 40s and 50s and among supporters of the Democratic Party. Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, stated on Wednesday that no final decision has been made regarding policy. He described the government as cautiously assessing the issue. A Defence Ministry inspection team sent to the United Arab Emirates to examine conditions returned on Thursday. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac noted that talks with relevant parties were ongoing.
