KSOI 31st regular poll results
52.1% oppose appointing Kim Seung-won as justice minister; 25.1% in favor
Opposition majority in all regions except Honam
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating falls 5.3 percentage points to 35.9%
A poll released Wednesday found that a majority of respondents oppose the appointment of Kim Seung-won as justice minister, as his confirmation hearing wrapped up. The same survey showed President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating falling to a new low.
The Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) surveyed 1,001 adults aged 18 and older nationwide Monday and Tuesday. Among respondents, 52.1 percent opposed Kim's appointment — 27.0 percentage points higher than the 25.1 percent who supported it — while 22.8 percent said they were unsure. The survey used an automated response system on mobile phones, with a confidence level of 95 percent, a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, and a response rate of 5.9 percent.
Opposition to Kim's appointment outpaced support among both men and women by wide margins. Among male respondents, 54.9 percent opposed the appointment and 28.3 percent supported it; among female respondents, 49.5 percent opposed it and 21.9 percent supported it, making opposition stronger among men. The share of "unsure" responses was higher among women at 28.6 percent, compared with 16.8 percent among men.
Opposition exceeded support across all age groups, with respondents aged 70 and older showing the strongest opposition at 60.2 percent against 19.0 percent in favor. Those in their 60s followed, with 59.9 percent opposed and 29.3 percent in favor, and those in their 30s came next at 55.3 percent opposed and 18.3 percent in favor. Support was highest among those in their 50s at 34.6 percent and those in their 40s at 33.2 percent. Respondents in their 20s recorded the highest rate of "unsure" answers at 45.1 percent.
Opposition exceeded 50 percent in every region except Honam. The Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province area recorded the highest opposition at 58.7 percent, followed by Gangwon Province and Jeju at 56.8 percent, Seoul at 56.0 percent, Daejeon, Sejong and the Chungcheong provinces at 55.7 percent, Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province at 52.4 percent, and Gyeonggi Province and Incheon at 51.7 percent. The South Jeolla Province, Gwangju and North Jeolla Province area was the only region where support outpaced opposition, at 40.6 percent in favor and 32.9 percent against.
Among Democratic Party of Korea supporters, 52.2 percent backed Kim's appointment, while 84.1 percent of People Power Party supporters opposed it. Among independents, opposition dominated at 54.2 percent against 9.5 percent in favor. Among self-identified progressives, 43.6 percent supported the appointment and 29.3 percent opposed it; among conservatives, 11.9 percent supported it and 72.3 percent opposed it; and among moderates, 29.3 percent supported it and 56.2 percent opposed it.
Meanwhile, President Lee's approval rating stood at 35.9 percent — down 5.3 percentage points from the previous survey and the lowest recorded by the same polling firm. His disapproval rating rose 5.5 percentage points to 59.4 percent. Lee's approval rating has been declining for two consecutive months since posting 54.7 percent in the second week of July.
"With opposition to Kim's appointment surpassing 50 percent, the final decision on whether to proceed with the appointment is likely to have a significant impact on public assessments of the administration," KSOI said. "Given that the approval rating has fallen to a record low, the high level of opposition among moderates poses a considerable burden for the administration going forward."
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