Lee Jae-myung 'VIP golf' controversy… approval rating falls

According to a Realmeter poll, Lee Jae-myung's approval rating fell for a second straight week to 35.2%. This figure can effectively be assessed as being in the low 30s.

The Democratic Party's support also plunged 7%, leaving it overtaken by the People Power Party. Lee's approval (35.2%) and the party's support (35.5%) differ by only 0.3 points, effectively a tie.

On the day 38 people were injured in the Daegu mart ceiling collapse, signs surfaced that members of Lee Jae-myung's family had played golf at Taeyeong Country Club, sparking controversy over a gap in the response. Rescue work was reportedly completed at 10:40 a.m., yet the presidential office did not issue an official statement until 12:30 p.m., two hours later.

Photos released by the office of Rep. Ju Jin-woo show a vehicle carrying people presumed to be Lee's family, including his eldest son, leaving Taeyeong Country Club.

Although the first rescue operation was completed at 10:40 a.m. that day, the official announcement came 2 hours and 50 minutes later, at 1:30 p.m. Critics noted that Lee once said 'the president's time is a public good,' arguing that golfing on a holiday was inappropriate.

Photos released by Rep. Ju show the security vehicle and Lee's family vehicle leaving the road in front of Taeyeong Country Club at 4:09 p.m. and 4:20 p.m., prompting criticism that golf continued even after the instruction.

Lee's side was alleged to have booked the course with gaps of over 20 minutes from the groups before and after, effectively renting out the entire course.

Critics argue that in a disaster the president should immediately stop golfing and return to the presidential office or the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's situation room. Opposition parties cited their earlier logic defining the presidential office as the disaster control tower to criticize the current government's inadequate response.

Unlike former President Roh Moo-hyun's wife Kwon Yang-sook's golf outing, this controversy reportedly includes people presumed to be Lee's children and daughter-in-law, and some argue it requires public verification.

The president's eldest son is subject to inspection by the special inspector general, so if public funds are used for the presidential family's lifestyle, securing transparency is essential.

Citing the Democratic Party's earlier criticism of the Yoon Suk Yeol government's presidential special activity funds, critics have pressed on whether Lee's family golf costs were paid privately.

If the family's golf expenses were unrelated to official duties, they would need proof of payment from a personal card, but the individuals involved have not yet clearly disclosed the source of the funds.

Over 116 SNS posts were made last month alone and more than 60 so far this month, yet critics say he has nothing the public wants to hear. Applying the standard used in the Sewol ferry '7 hours' controversy, critics argue that the time spent at the golf course can likewise be seen as abandoning his duties.

An allegation has been raised that water use at the presidential official residence is abnormally high, with one comparison likening it to raising elephants or hippos.

Critics say such water use would only be possible if the water of a swimming pool or large bathing facility were changed every day, arguing the truth must be uncovered through means such as a parliamentary audit.

Attacks over the residence's use, such as dog bathing, have boomeranged back.

Analysts widely note that the criteria he once used to criticize dog bathing and similar matters have now come back to him.

The price gap and heavy shipping costs in importing eggs from Brazil were pointed out. The imports reportedly cost 80 billion won in budget due to high prices.

Questions have been raised about the economic rationale of importing eggs from Brazil, on the other side of the globe, rather than from nearby sources, with criticism of wasted taxes.

The view is that legal risks should be examined across the board after a change of government or a general election victory. The call is to investigate the many suspicions and controversies surrounding Lee comprehensively.

Voices have emerged calling for an urgent special prosecutor probe related to Lee after the next government or a general election victory.

As with former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, once power begins to leak, departures of supporting forces are bound to accelerate.

Analysts say that Lee announcing all policies alone through SNS reveals cracks in his support base and an absence of close aides. Shifts in sentiment among party figures such as Rep. Kim Yong-min foreshadow a possible collapse of Lee's approval below 35% and spreading internal resistance.

Presidential messages should all be coordinated or announced through cabinet meetings and discussions with the relevant ministers, yet Lee is reportedly handling all policy unilaterally via SNS.

This shows the current absence of aides or close allies who support Lee, and analysts compared it with former President Chun Doo-hwan's arrest to diagnose a weakening of his power base.

Rep. Kim's combative remark that he 'did not seek a position' was analyzed as a sign of pushback from within the pro-Lee camp, anticipating a possible collapse of Lee's approval below 35%.

Lee Jae-myung was spotted again using the expression 'clean blue,' which symbolizes the color blue. This can be read as a kind of standoff among leftists using their own color symbol.

While analysts say internal factionalism continues due to a political addiction, some see Lee's linking to the item with the phrase 'please let it go left' as a signal of an internal power struggle.

Rep. Kim Yong-min was read as having pushed back combatively against Lee's position, saying in effect that he does not seek a position. Analysts say he would not dare say this if Lee's approval were strong and his power secure.

The panel viewed it as an internal move anticipating Lee's approval falling from the 35% range to below 30% soon. This was assessed as the beginning of open resistance within the pro-Lee camp from the so-called Choo Mi-ae–Cho Kuk–Kim Yong-min bloc.