Lee Jae-myung Government's Approval Rating Breaks Record Low, Criticism of 'Pure Incompetence' Emerges

The Lee Jae-myung government's approval rating has hit an all-time low, according to a joint survey by PenNMike and Gongjeong. The host emphasized the severity of the current government's approval rating, stating, "Our survey by PenNMike and Gongjeong also shows it has fallen to an all-time low."

This approval rating is also the lowest when compared to the approval ratings of past presidents 14 months into their terms, indicating deepening public dissatisfaction with the current government.

Former People Power Party Supreme Council Member Jang Ye-chan strongly criticized the Lee Jae-myung government's declining approval rating as being due to 'pure incompetence' without external factors. He explained the difference from the Lee Jae-myung government by mentioning that the Roh Moo-hyun government and the Yoon Suk-yeol government had to operate with a divided National Assembly, and the Lee Myung-bak government faced external shocks such as the mad cow disease incident and the Lehman Brothers financial crisis.

Supreme Council Member Jang argued that in the case of the Lee Jae-myung government, it "is ruining the country so quickly with pure incompetence," analyzing that policy failures alone, without any significant external shocks, are the main cause of the current decline in approval ratings.

This suggests that unlike other governments that faced difficulties due to unavoidable external circumstances, the Lee Jae-myung government created its own crisis through its own failures in state management.

Former Supreme Council Member Jang Ye-chan pointed out a significant difference in the media environment between the Yoon Suk-yeol government and the Lee Jae-myung government. He stated, "It seems that the Yoon Suk-yeol government had an unprecedented period without a honeymoon," explaining that the Yoon Suk-yeol government did not have a honeymoon period as it faced attempts by major media outlets to control it from the very beginning of its term.

In contrast, he criticized the Lee Jae-myung government for its declining approval rating despite being guaranteed a honeymoon period in a relatively favorable media atmosphere, emphasizing that this is not a problem with the media but with the government's own capabilities.

Former Supreme Council Member Jang Ye-chan strongly criticized the Lee Jae-myung government's real estate market policy failures, pointing to the deepening jeonse crisis. He explained that changes in Gangnam apartment prices are irrelevant to ordinary citizens, and what truly affects ordinary citizens is the supply of apartments priced in the low to mid-1 billion won range and the situation of the jeonse and monthly rent markets.

He specifically criticized, "They are wiping out jeonse like Thanos, which even Moon Jae-in couldn't eliminate," claiming that the Lee Jae-myung government has actually collapsed the jeonse market and exacerbated housing insecurity for ordinary citizens.

Former Supreme Council Member Jang Ye-chan expressed concern about the increasing public insecurity after the abolition of security investigation powers. He recalled that Korea once boasted a globally high level of public security, stating, "Living in Korea, you would have rarely worried about public security," contrasting it with the current situation.

However, he pointed out that after the abolition of security investigation powers, anxiety about public security has intensified, especially among women, suggesting that the high level of public security, which was a strength of Korean society, is being eroded.

Former Supreme Council Member Jang Ye-chan predicted that the Lee Jae-myung government's approval rating is unlikely to rebound. He stated that for the current government to recover its approval rating, "Lee Jae-myung must deny the past year and a half," arguing that it would only be possible if the past state management policies were completely revised.

However, he analyzed that it is virtually impossible for a politician to admit their incompetence and deny all past policies, and thus, a rebound in the Lee Jae-myung government's approval rating would not be easy.

Ultimately, this leads to the criticism that without a fundamental acknowledgment and change regarding the current government's policy failures, it will be difficult to escape the current low approval ratings.