Lee's approval rating at 55%; Democratic Party leads at 38%, PPP at 22%: NBS poll

A new poll shows 55 percent of respondents gave a positive assessment of President Lee Jae Myung's job performance.

In the National Barometer Survey (NBS) conducted by Macromill Embrain, KStat Research, Korea Research and Hankook Research from Monday through Wednesday among 1,000 adults aged 18 and older and released Thursday, 55 percent rated Lee's performance positively — down 3 percentage points from the previous survey. Negative assessments came in at 34 percent, down 1 percentage point from the prior poll, while 11 percent said they did not know or declined to answer, up 4 percentage points.

By age group, respondents in their 40s, 50s and 60s gave positive ratings above 50 percent, while those in their 20s or younger (37 percent), their 30s (49 percent) and those 70 or older (45 percent) fell below that threshold. By ideological leaning, positive ratings were high among self-identified progressives and moderates at 85 percent and 57 percent, respectively, while 60 percent of conservatives gave negative assessments.

Party support stood at 38 percent for the Democratic Party of Korea and 22 percent for the People Power Party. Compared with the previous survey, the Democratic Party fell 4 percentage points while the PPP rose 2 percentage points. The Reform Party recorded 3 percent, the Rebuilding Korea Party and the Progressive Party each drew 2 percent, and other parties combined for 2 percent. Thirty-one percent said they did not support any party. By age group, the Democratic Party led the PPP in every age bracket except those in their 20s or younger and those 70 or older.

When asked about a proposal to create a future response fund using additional tax revenue generated by a semiconductor boom, 61 percent said they were in favor, compared with 24 percent opposed.

On the government's plan to establish an integrated military academy merging the army, navy and air force academies, 55 percent said they opposed the move, while 34 percent were in favor.

The NBS poll was conducted via telephone interviews using mobile virtual numbers (100 percent). Further details are available on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.