President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating has slid to 38% in a Gallup Korea poll released on the 11th. The collapse of the 40% threshold, widely seen as the floor for effective governance, means more than a dip in the numbers. It is a stern warning from the public to change how the government is run. The administration should take particular note of the fact that support among young people, moderates and residents of the greater Seoul area has drained away for three consecutive weeks. The causes are plain. A string of missteps in housing and stock market policy that ignored market principles, along with fatigue over prosecution reform pushed through on the strength of an overwhelming majority in parliament, has reached a breaking point. On top of that, the array of allegations and questions about the qualifications of the second-round cabinet nominees has struck directly at the moral legitimacy of the government.
To regain momentum, the president must start by cleaning up the mess surrounding the embattled ministerial nominees. For Kim Seung-won, the nominee for justice minister, 43% of respondents said he was unfit for the post, twice the share who found him suitable, and police have opened an investigation into allegations that he lobbied on behalf of a new drug. Yong Hye-in, the nominee for gender equality and family minister, who has faced criticism that her party is run like a "family business", needs no further comment. The overriding standard should not be surviving a confirmation hearing but meeting the public's expectations. Withdrawing the nomination of any candidate who falls short is the responsible course for the official who holds the appointment power.
A series of momentous national decisions now awaits the president. A decision on deploying troops to the Strait of Hormuz involves the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the safety of service members, relations with Iran and energy security. Without public trust in the president to underpin it, any decision is bound to sow nothing but discord. The administration must also move quickly to clarify its position on whether a constitutional amendment allowing a four-year term with the possibility of re-election would apply to the president himself, a question it has kept silent on. If the amendment is not intended to secure another term, the government should state clearly that it will not apply retroactively to the sitting president. Only then can the debate move toward a genuine public discussion of restructuring executive power and the country's future.
Having returned from a trip to France, Lee will hold a news conference next week. It ought to serve as a turning point for setting the government back on course. Strong leadership does not come from digging in and insisting nothing has gone wrong. Responsible politics means withdrawing unfit appointments, correcting poorly designed policies and explaining to the public the grounds for national decisions. Whether the approval rating has hit bottom or falls further depends on the president's resolve.
