Lee Jae Myung's approval ratings slide: Democratic lawmaker calls on president to address public doubts on real estate, other issues

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Gwang-jae said President Lee Jae Myung needs to hold a press conference to dispel public doubts surrounding real estate and other controversies, as the president's approval ratings continue to slide.

Lee, who chairs the National Assembly's Budget and Accounts Committee, made the remarks Tuesday in an interview on KBS Radio's "Jeongyeok Sisa." He described the current approval rating trend as "an orange light — just before it turns red," and said "public sentiment can float a boat or capsize it, and a drop in support means the water is receding."

He went on to say, "For the boat to stay afloat and move forward, people need to get off and push, and the cargo needs to be unloaded to lighten it."

Lee also said "there are several uncertain factors obstructing the political situation that need to be clearly addressed," and expressed hope that the president would shed light on them at an upcoming press conference.

When the interviewer asked whether he meant the president should state his position on matters such as the withdrawal of indictments and constitutional reform to allow a consecutive term, Lee said, "These are political matters, so I expect the president will address them." He added, "Whenever I meet people these days, it's all about housing. Real estate needs to be addressed to some extent as well."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party's own approval ratings have been falling in tandem, and cracks are emerging within the broader ruling camp over key issues.

On the surface, hard-liners within the party are asserting themselves over follow-up measures on prosecutorial reform. There are also concerns that the fallout from the Aug. 17 party leadership election has yet to be resolved, with a struggle between pragmatist and ideological factions intensifying.

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok appeared Tuesday on the party's YouTube channel "Minti07" and said, "There is absolutely no possibility that the Lee Jae Myung government will be shaken." He said his recent remarks invoking the "precursor to the impeachment" of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun were not meant to suggest impeachment was a real threat, but rather that "the lesson is that the forces who pursued a pointless impeachment attempt were destroyed."

Kim said "the dip in support for the government and the ruling party is only a temporary adjustment caused by confusion between the party and the administration, and by election results — the direction of state affairs is right and there are results to show for it." He acknowledged, however, that "the overwhelming demand is to innovate and reflect, and move forward more humbly toward practical expansion for people's livelihoods."

The remarks were seen as a follow-up clarification after Kim's earlier reference to the "precursor to the Roh Moo-hyun impeachment" on a broadcast triggered a backlash within the broader ruling camp.

Hard-liners within the party who led the push for prosecutorial reform have also been clashing with Kim over the nomination of a candidate for chief of the new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the proposed organizational structure of the new prosecution office.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae said Saturday, in response to the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as the agency's chief, "The president should be punishing the insurrection forces — why is he cowering and clinging to them?" Former party leader Jung Chung-rae followed Monday with an appearance on YouTube, saying, "We need to think carefully about whether it is right for someone who opposed the separation of investigation and indictment, and opposed prosecutorial reform, to become the agency's chief."

Within the party, there is a sense that the factional struggle over prosecutorial reform follow-up measures has been reignited, with the approval rating slump serving as a lever.

One first-term lawmaker from the Honam region said the dispute was "an extension of the long-running factional struggle" within the party. Another lawmaker from the greater Seoul area said the wounds from the party leadership election "have not healed well, and that is the main cause of the approval rating decline," adding that "the core support base may be the core of the broader progressive camp, but not necessarily the core of the party itself."