Dec 4, 2025 – Lee Jae Myung’s approval rises to 62 % after 100 days in office, a six‑month high that places him behind only former presidents Kim Young‑sam and Moon Jae‑in; diplomacy tops the reasons for support while economic concerns drive negatives, and the surge follows the June 2025 snap election triggered by former President Yoon Suk‑Yeol’s attempted martial‑law move on Dec 3, 2022. [25]

Dec 7, 2025 – Lee’s approval inches up to 54.9 % after a special address emphasizing democracy and his push to make Dec 3 a “people’s sovereignty” day; disapproval rises as critics condemn a court’s dismissal of an arrest warrant for opposition lawmaker Choo Kyung‑ho. [24]

Dec 14, 2025 – Lee’s approval slips to 54.3 % as allegations surface that former Oceans Minister Chun Jae‑soo received illegal Unification‑Church funds, prompting the first cabinet resignation under Lee; livestreamed policy briefings and his response to Coupang’s data breach limit the dip. [23]

Dec 18, 2025 – Lee’s approval falls to 55 % for the third straight week, with negative ratings up to 36 %; positive comments cite his live policy briefings and diplomacy, while economic worries dominate criticism; the Democratic Party holds 40 % support and the People Power Party 26 %. [22]

Dec 21, 2025 – Lee’s approval drops to 53.4 % amid live briefings, criticism of Incheon Airport chief Lee Hak‑jae, a Coupang data breach, and a weak won; a separate poll shows Democratic Party support falling to 44.1 % while the People Power Party rises to 37.2 %. [21]

Dec 22, 2025 – Lee’s approval stays at 53.4 % as the Democratic Party backs a special‑counsel probe into the Unification Church’s alleged bribery; the Fair Trade Commission orders Korean Air to revise its mileage plan, Hyundai announces an AI‑robotics strategy for CES 2026, and BTS teases a major upcoming project. [20]

Dec 25, 2025 – Lee’s approval slips to 59 % in a National Barometer Survey, with regional variation in Daegu; 53 % say 2025 will not be a good year personally, while 44 % expect 2026 to improve; employment and the economy rank as the top public concerns. [19]

Dec 29, 2025 – Lee’s approval holds at 53.2 % with a slight decline; voters favor his economic measures such as a retail‑investor incentive and currency‑stabilization steps, while controversial Democratic Party bills on tribunals and anti‑fake‑news drag his rating down. [18]

Jan 5, 2026 – Lee’s approval climbs to 54.1 % as the KOSPI tops 4,300 and exports hit a record, ending a three‑week slide since early December; a separate poll shows Democratic Party support at 45.7 % and the People Power Party at 35.5 %. [17]

Jan 8, 2026 – Lee’s approval rises to 61 % in a National Barometer Survey, with negative assessments falling to 29 %; the public splits on future ties with China after his recent state visit, while Democratic Party support drops to 39 % and the People Power Party climbs to 23 %. [16]

Jan 9, 2026 – Lee’s approval hits 60 % in a Gallup poll, driven by a four‑day China visit and summit with Xi Jinping; diplomacy is the top cited reason for support, followed by economic leadership; Democratic Party stands at 45 % and the People Power Party at 26 %. [15]

Jan 12, 2026 – Lee’s approval climbs to 56.8 % as Realmeter links gains to diplomatic successes with China and a bullish stock market; negative ratings fall to 37.8 %; Democratic Party support rises to 47.8 % while the People Power Party slips to 33.5 %. [14]

Jan 16, 2026 – Lee’s approval drops to 58 % despite recent trips to China and Japan; diplomacy remains the top positive factor, but economic concerns drive the negative responses; Democratic Party support falls to 41 % and the People Power Party to 24 %. [13]

Jan 19, 2026 – Lee’s approval falls to 53.1 % as prosecution reform and alleged illicit payments dampen his rating; controversies over the reforms and a scandal involving a minister’s family weigh heavily, while Democratic Party support slips to 42.5 % and the People Power Party climbs to 37 %. [12]

Jan 22, 2026 – Lee’s approval slips to 59 % in a National Barometer Survey; half of respondents favor stronger ties with China and 65 % back improved relations with Japan; Democratic Party support rises to 40 % while the People Power Party falls to 20 %. [11]

Jan 23, 2026 – Lee’s approval climbs to 61 % in a Gallup poll, buoyed by summit talks with China and Japan; diplomacy accounts for 27 % of positive ratings, economy for 14 %; Democratic Party support reaches 43 % and the People Power Party drops to 22 %. [10]

Jan 26, 2026 – Lee’s approval holds at 53.1 % as the KOSPI surpasses 5,000 and a New Year press conference temporarily lifts his standing; the withdrawal of budget‑minister nominee Lee Hye‑hoon over real‑estate allegations dampens momentum; Democratic Party approval edges up to 42.7 % and the People Power Party to 39.5 %. [9]

Jan 30, 2026 – Lee’s approval dips to 60 % in a Gallup poll, with the economy still the leading positive factor and diplomatic issues noted; negative ratings rise to 29 %; Democratic Party support climbs to 44 % and the People Power Party to 25 %. [8]

Feb 2, 2026 – Lee rebuts opposition criticism of his housing‑supply plan on X, calling the remarks “unfounded” and urging an end to real‑estate speculation; he highlights a luxury Seoul unit’s urgent sale after the tax‑policy shift as proof of market impact. [6]

Feb 2, 2026 – Lee’s approval rises to 54.5 % in a Realmeter poll, boosted by the capital‑gains‑tax hike on multiple‑home owners and the announcement of an additional 60,000 housing units for the Seoul metro area; self‑employed workers and homemakers show sharp support gains linked to stock‑market highs. [7]

Feb 3, 2026 – Lee reaffirms his tax crackdown on multiple‑home speculation, pledging to end the capital‑gains‑tax exemption; he contrasts housing‑price distortions with stock‑market gains and announces expanded AI‑driven entrepreneurship support. [5]

Feb 5, 2026 – Lee’s approval climbs to 63 % in the National Barometer Survey, a six‑month high with negative views falling to 30 %; voters favor the ruling party for stability ahead of the June 2026 local elections, while a proposed DP‑Rebuilding Korea merger meets majority opposition. [4]

Feb 6, 2026 – Lee’s approval falls to 58 % in a Gallup poll, reflecting mixed reactions to his plan to end the multiple‑home capital‑gains‑tax exemption; the economy remains the top positive reason, while economic worries dominate negatives. [3]

Feb 16, 2026 – Lee’s approval rises to 56.5 % in a Realmeter poll, attributed to his push to end the multiple‑home tax exemption and a stock‑market rally; he denounces multiple‑home ownership as socially harmful and calls for removal of preferential treatment. [2]

Feb 18, 2026 – Lee blames politicians for the surge in real‑estate speculation, accusing them of designing a flawed housing framework and profiting from it; he urges multiple‑home owners to sell before the tax exemption ends in May and retweets criticism from opposition lawmaker Jang Dong‑hyeok. [1]

May 2026 – The heavy capital‑gains‑tax exemption for multiple‑home owners is scheduled to expire, prompting Lee to urge owners to sell before the deadline and framing the change as essential to curb speculation. [1][5]

June 2026 – South Korea holds local elections, with February 5 polling indicating voters may back the ruling Democratic Party for stability; a proposed DP‑Rebuilding Korea merger remains controversial ahead of the vote. [4]