Lee Jae-myung's Approval Rating Falls for 8 Consecutive Weeks, Why?

Some have even suggested that 'Honam Semiconductor is unlikely to happen within Lee Jae-myung's term, and personally, I think it might be difficult even during Lee Jae-myung's lifetime; it's that fraught with difficulties,' emphasizing the challenges of the project. This skepticism appears to stem from the project's complexity and the wide range of stakeholders involved.

Although the official personnel line is known to be Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and Secretary Kim Yong-chae, it is alleged that Kim Hyun-ji, the First Private Secretary to the President, is actually involved in personnel decisions. This remark was leaked during a broadcast, causing embarrassment to those involved and escalating into controversy over the disclosure of national secrets and 'heavenly secrets.'

This is fueling distrust in presidential personnel appointments, and calls for a transparent personnel system are growing both within and outside the political sphere. Concerns are particularly being raised about the negative impact that unofficial personnel appointments could have on state affairs.

Such informal intervention controversies have recurred in various past administrations, and the current government is also facing criticism for not being immune to them. Former Deputy Spokesperson Seo Young-joo's remark served as an opportunity to bring these informal intervention allegations to the surface.

Further verification of the veracity of this statement and Secretary Kim Hyun-ji's actual role is expected. The political sphere is watching to see how this controversy will affect the government's credibility.

Voices criticizing Secretary Kim Hyun-ji's immense power, likening it to the past phrase 'Man-Sa-Hyung-Tong' (everything goes smoothly), are growing louder.

Rumors are circulating that Secretary Kim Hyun-ji holds too much power and manipulates personnel appointments, which resembles the informal intervention controversies that have recurred in past administrations. Concerns are being raised that such criticism could undermine the government's transparency and fairness, and foster public distrust.

Consequently, it is predicted that the hearing will go beyond a simple verification of the assemblywoman and become an 'underground organization hearing.'

With allegations raised about the organizational structure centered around CEO Kim Ki-ho and the personal connection with Assemblywoman Yong Hye-in, the hearing is expected to thoroughly investigate the nature and activities of these organizations, as well as their relationship with the assemblywoman. This is a crucial issue that could impact not only Assemblywoman Yong Hye-in's past actions but also her current political stance.

Furthermore, criticisms regarding gender equality issues and discrimination against women within these organizations are also being raised. This is intensifying the controversy as past problems within the student activist movement are resurfacing.

These allegations could lead to questions about Assemblywoman Yong Hye-in's political identity and morality, and significant difficulties are anticipated during the confirmation hearing process. There is a possibility that the hearing could expand beyond individual issues to encompass the transparency of organizations.

This suggests a long-standing relationship spanning 22 years. Notably, in 2019, the two were even revealed to have taken a composite photo together and used it as their messenger profile picture.

This photo is reportedly taken two years before allegations of lobbying the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety emerged, indicating that their relationship was very close even before the allegations arose.

Regarding the allegations of lobbying the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), claims have been made that the clinical trial approval period was shortened by about half to just over 30 days. These allegations are intensifying the controversy, intertwined with the fact that 11.3 billion won in profits were made through investments in shares and convertible bonds of Sejong Medical, a KOSDAQ-listed company. Some are raising the possibility that special favors in the clinical trial approval process were linked to stock speculation profits.

However, despite the drug being deemed unsuitable in animal testing, criticisms are growing as claims emerge that small investors suffered losses.

In particular, allegations that a sitting National Assembly member acted for the private interests of a specific company, rather than for public interest, could lead to questions about the morality of the political establishment. This incident raises serious questions about the transparency and fairness of the clinical trial approval process and the ethical conduct of National Assembly members.

The controversy escalated when text messages from Yang Soo-jin were revealed, stating, "I'll give 20 million cash to Seung-won oppa. I'll make 20 million won cash for oppa to use in the presidential campaign."

Additionally, text messages suggesting pressure for approval through working-level officials at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety were also discovered, further strengthening claims that a sitting National Assembly member acted for private gain rather than public interest.

These allegations raise serious questions about Assemblyman Kim Seung-won's political ethics and transparency. If the presidential campaign fund support is linked to pressure for MFDS approval, it could be considered clear quid pro quo lobbying, making it difficult to avoid legal and moral responsibility.

This photo is known to include Yang Soo-jin, Judge Jung, and Assemblyman Kim Seung-won.

The overlap between the dismissal of the warrant and the judge's private meeting has intensified questions about fairness. This is pointed out as a serious issue that could cause public distrust in judicial justice.

This facility is known to have managed and educated children with developmental disabilities.

The controversy is escalating with claims that this facility illegally used the school name and that the family acquired approximately 300 million won in income, including government voucher subsidies. It is pointed out that the illegal operation of the facility and allegations of misappropriation of public funds could severely damage Assemblyman Kim Seung-won's morality.

When Democratic Party Assemblyman Kim Dong-a disclosed former emergency committee chairman Han Dong-hoon's text messages, a dispute erupted over claims that they were leaked internally by the prosecution. These claims are leading to efforts to identify the internal leaker and file a complaint with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).

The controversy surrounding the source of the text message disclosure has expanded to the issue of the 'fruit of the poisonous tree' doctrine, which concerns the admissibility of illegally obtained evidence. This is expected to be a major point of contention in future legal disputes.

Representative Lee Jae-myung's approval rating recorded 37% in the Realmeter poll, falling below 40%. This is the eighth consecutive week of decline, and analysis suggests that the 'dead cross' phenomenon, where negative evaluations outweigh positive ones, is becoming entrenched. Some opinions have even suggested that the actual approval rating could be below 35%.

This drop in approval rating is amplifying concerns about Representative Lee Jae-myung's leadership, with some already raising the 'lame duck' theory.

The decline in Representative Lee Jae-myung's approval rating is having a significant impact within the Democratic Party and is expected to affect the balance of power within the party in the future. If this downward trend in approval continues, Representative Lee Jae-myung's political standing could weaken further.

It is suspected that he resided in an apartment owned by his father and then obtained squatter qualifications to receive a special allocation of a Seocho apartment. This has led to Kang Shin-chul, despite being a Korea Military Academy graduate, being embroiled in a 'silver spoon' controversy.

Some are calling for Kang Shin-chul to make a deep apology for his inappropriate conduct. With questions raised about his morality and integrity as a Defense Minister, significant difficulties are anticipated during the confirmation hearing process.

These allegations will be a major issue in verifying Kang Shin-chul's integrity and could lead to public doubts about the qualifications of the defense chief. Attention is focused on how Kang Shin-chul will address these allegations at the upcoming confirmation hearing.

Accordingly, annual interest costs alone are estimated to approach 50 trillion won. This increase in national debt raises concerns that it could impose a significant burden on future generations.

Furthermore, the controversy is intensifying with the指摘 that 60 trillion won of the 'Future Response Fund' is in a blind spot for parliamentary oversight. There is a possibility that funds created under the name of future response could lead to budget waste or corruption if not properly managed.

The rapid increase in national debt and the issue of transparency in fund management highlight the urgent need for fundamental measures to secure fiscal soundness and efficient budget execution. This raises public questions about the government's fiscal management capabilities and accountability.

PenNmike had corrected an error in its report regarding BIS ratios but was still hit with a massive damages lawsuit.

Reporter Heo Hyun-jun strongly criticized such actions by large corporations, stating, "I believe we must prevent civil and criminal lawsuits from gagging the press for the sake of a free democratic system."

CEO Cheon Young-sik shared his thoughts, stating, "As those who know are aware, there have been many trials. We overcame countless difficulties and protected PenN." He specifically mentioned that the hardest time was when they faced a management crisis for 1 year and 2 months due to a YouTube revenue suspension.

Nevertheless, PenNmike achieved tremendous success, such as recording 350,000 concurrent viewers and a total of 6 million views during its 'election fraud debate' broadcast. CEO Cheon Young-sik expressed great satisfaction, saying, "Having done such a broadcast made me feel immense pride in the process."

This experience is evaluated as an example demonstrating that PenNmike is not just a media outlet but a platform that delivers important information to the public and can grow even amidst crises.

This signifies a significantly accelerated growth after surpassing the 1 million mark. CEO Cheon Young-sik explained, "During those two years, we experienced quite concentrated growth."

He further analyzed that the number of subscribers steadily increased after the general election in April 2024, and then exploded from the end of 2024, after 'martial law broke out and the impeachment phase began.' These temporal factors appear to have served as important drivers for PenNmike's rapid growth.

Major political events like general elections significantly impact the public's news consumption patterns, and critical political changes such as impeachment scenarios tend to dramatically increase interest in media outlets. PenNmike appears to have grown rapidly during these periods by meeting the needs of viewers.

This growth can be interpreted as PenNmike gaining the empathy of viewers by providing in-depth coverage and analysis of specific political issues. The rapid growth after 1 million subscribers demonstrates that PenNmike has established itself as a platform that enjoys strong support from a specific viewership, beyond being a mere media outlet.

He announced the launch of the 'PenN Economy' channel and plans to establish hundreds of diverse channels in the future, including 'PenN Youth,' 'PenN Love,' 'PenN Silver,' and 'PenN Health.'

CEO Cheon expressed his commitment to meeting the demands of viewers with various interests, stating, "By doing so, we will enable many people to fulfill their desires through PenN."

This multi-channel strategy is interpreted as an attempt to adapt to changes in the media environment by providing more specialized content and targeting viewers who desire information specific to certain fields.

This is seen as a contrasting stance to the submissive attitude towards Iran, and it has been pointed out that it could serve as grounds for distrust of the South Korean government's diplomatic policy from the perspective of the U.S. (Trump). Reporter Kim Ki-heung criticized, "We want South Korea to be properly recognized and treated by President Trump," adding, "But again, due to Lee Jae-myung's light mouth and twisted diplomatic views, our country is in a very difficult situation."

Such remarks are raising concerns that they could jeopardize Korea's diplomatic standing in the international community.

In particular, imprudent remarks on sensitive international issues like Israel could negatively affect relations with allied nations. Attention is focused on what practical impact this remark will have on South Korean diplomacy in the future.

Reporter Kim Ki-heung pointed out, "The Democratic Party's internal stance is based not on national interest and alliances, but on the expectations of their supporters, the level demanded by the strong supporters who are 'Gae-ttal' (rabid fans)."

Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, also expressed opposition to the dispatch, joining in this criticism.

This is leading to accusations of a populist approach that panders to the public opinion of internal party supporters rather than considering national security and diplomatic situations. The issue of dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz is a sensitive matter directly connected to international affairs, yet the appearance of it being decided according to domestic political interests is causing public concern.

Current affairs commentator Park Sang-kyu explained the Democratic Party's intention, stating, "If he is convicted, there is an election support fund, a deposit of 30 billion won. They tried to make him refund that and then dismiss the charges."

This is analyzed as the Democratic Party's attempt to resolve the judicial risks of the two leaders in different ways. The intention is to strengthen Representative Lee Jae-myung's political standing by securing an acquittal, and to politically damage President Yoon by having him convicted and then dismissed of charges.

However, there is also speculation that a conflict is arising as Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, is advocating for simultaneous trials, clashing with the Democratic Party's plan. Cho Kuk's call for simultaneous trials is acting as a variable in the Democratic Party's strategy, creating a subtle war of nerves between the two parties.

Current affairs commentator Park Sang-kyu emphasized the importance of easing the parliamentary group qualification, stating, "The qualification for forming a negotiating group is 20 seats. If it becomes 10 seats, they can get involved in everything." He explained that whether or not a party forms a negotiating group is very important in the operation of the National Assembly.

This is interpreted as the Democratic Party's intention to strengthen its alliance by utilizing the Rebuilding Korea Party's demand to form a parliamentary group. If they become a parliamentary group, they gain the authority to participate in all aspects of parliamentary operations, which can be an important political foothold for the Rebuilding Korea Party. Park commented, "If they participate, it will all become their power later. That's why they are dangling bait."

The attempt to ease the parliamentary group requirement from 20 to 10 seats appears to be a complex intention to accommodate the Rebuilding Korea Party's demands while expanding the Democratic Party's political influence. This is analyzed as part of a strategy to overcome the crisis of Representative Lee Jae-myung's declining approval ratings and consolidate the unity of the entire opposition bloc.

Current affairs commentator Park Sang-kyu pointed out the problem that the facility received government support despite being an unregistered, illegal educational facility, stating, "I would like to mention that it is an unauthorized and illegal school. Most of the voucher funds are 100% tax money."

The government's provision of tax-funded vouchers to illegal facilities is a serious problem, criticized for undermining the purpose of the voucher system and potentially leading to budget waste. Park questioned the transparency and fairness of voucher support, asking, "Why are such vouchers used for good purposes?"

This allegation could expand to questions about the morality of Assemblyman Kim Seung-won's family and the ethics of public officials, highlighting the need for a thorough audit and improvement of the entire government voucher system. An investigation into the cooperative's illegal operation and the appropriateness of government voucher support is expected. This incident raises concerns that welfare programs for vulnerable groups could be exploited for private gain.