Rep. Yoon Kun-young of the ruling Democratic Party voiced concern over the slide in President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating, saying that "the drift away from him is fairly serious" and that "the scale and speed of the downward trend in his approval rating are enormous." Citing controversies over dropping criminal indictments and a constitutional amendment allowing consecutive presidential terms, he said many voters "who used to wonder whether the president would really do that have now reached the point of withdrawing their trust."
Speaking on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" on the 17th, Yoon said: "Running a government naturally has its ups and downs, but at this point there should be something holding the line, and instead it is collapsing helplessly." He added that he had described the local election results as "perhaps a preview of a warning," but "the main feature has come far too quickly," calling the situation one "no one anticipated."
He pointed to the question of trust surrounding Lee as the core reason for the falling approval rating. "If a policy goes wrong, you can revise and supplement it, and support can recover one way or another," Yoon said. "But a collapse of trust means people won't even look your way." He continued: "Whatever you do, whatever you say, they don't believe it. It shakes the foundation, and because that situation seems to be arriving soon, I said we should take it seriously."
He said the disputes over dropping the indictments and the constitutional amendment on consecutive terms in particular were deepening public doubts. "Many people used to wonder whether the president would really do that, and now, as I said a moment ago, they have reached the stage of withdrawing that trust," Yoon said.
He also said Lee should use his news conference set for the 18th to state his position clearly on the controversies. "How about approaching it with the mindset that if the public wants 10, the president gives 11," Yoon said. "It would be better not to leave any residue behind." He stressed that doing so was "absolutely necessary to create a turning point that halts the decline in approval and to secure momentum for running the government."
On the issue of dropping the indictments, he said that since Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won had made his position clear, he hoped the president would deliver a message of the same import to the public. Yoon said Kim had stated that on dropping the indictments, "I have neither the authority nor any intention to do so," and that he also opposed the National Assembly enacting legislation on the matter. "I think the president is probably much the same," Yoon said. "I hope tomorrow's news conference is where these points are conveyed clearly to the public and the president's sincerity comes across."
On whether Kim should be appointed, Yoon said: "Through public opinion and the confirmation hearing process, the president will have heard all the arguments for and against. I believe he will make a judgment as the appointing authority." Still, he added that "public opinion on nominee Kim Seung-won has to be taken as it is," saying it was "quite unfavorable in light of various circumstances."
On the exchange of criticism between Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok and Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party's innovation policy institute, Yoon said: "I hope they consider how supporters in the progressive reform camp are viewing this. I don't think they see it favorably."
Addressing the party leader, he said: "I think winning people's hearts matters more than the speed of change. How about gathering up those who have been with us and focusing on moving forward again for the success of the Lee Jae-myung government?" He also urged Cho to "use the language of respect, the language of comrades."
On the factional divide within the party between allies of former President Moon Jae-in and those of Lee, Yoon said: "Drawing a line and excluding people because they think differently is a strategy that leads to becoming ever more of a minority. Why practice subtraction politics when you should be practicing addition politics?" He added: "Even when people think differently, highlighting what they share and saying let's go together — that is solidarity and integration."
