President Yoon’s Approval Rating Drops to 27% After U.S. Spy Allegations
Who would have thought an idiot 21 year old National Guardsman trying to win Internet arguments in a Discord chatroom would cause a massive slide in President Yoon’s approval ratings?:
 |
| Kim Tae-hyo, deputy national security director, speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport, Saturday, after returning from his Washington trip. Yonhap |
Expectations were high among presidential aides and ruling party politicians only two weeks ago when it was announced that President Yoon Suk Yeol would address the U.S. Congress on April 27 during his trip to Washington.
Many thought that his state visit to the United States ― the first by a Korean head of state in 12 years ― would help him recover his image as a trusted leader and put a stop to his declining approval ratings following his hasty and controversial push to improve relations with Japan.
Yet skepticism is now growing that his visit will do little to achieve those goals. A mix of U.S. surveillance allegations, Washington’s irresponsible response and ― most importantly ― the Yoon administration’s poor handling of the situation has put the president in another political bind.
On Saturday, nearly 20,000 protesters gathered in the streets of central Seoul, denouncing the administration for its “humiliating diplomacy.”
“Despite the thief who stole our secret safe before the U.S. trip, [the administration] claims that it was a good thief and had goodwill,” activist Kim Min-woong said during the protest. “Shouldn’t the U.S. apologize? This country (Korea) has become a global pushover, which does not complain even when its sovereignty is violated. Humiliating.” (……)
With the U.S. offering no public apologies or promises to stop spying on Korea, the public has been upset, and they’re taking it out on Yoon. According to a poll released by Gallup Korea Friday, the president’s approval rating dropped to 27 percent from 31 percent a week ago, with 28 percent of the respondents disapproving of his diplomatic activities as their main reason. It was the first time his approval rating fell below 30 percent since November 2022 following the Itaewon crowd disaster, which killed at least 158 people.
Korea Times
You can read more at the link, but it is no surprise that the Korean left is demagoguing this issue acting like the ROK doesn’t collect intelligence on the United States.
That’s because ROK doesn’t. But apparently America spies on its allies habitually.
Well, the public is upset because of Yoon’s responses, which is like “it’s a fake document, and we’re cooperating closely with the US officials to get to the bottom of this”. In other words, lying to the public to cover for his boss in Washington isn’t going to endear him to the public. Especially at a time when all the other allied countries who were also spied on, spoke up for their countries and criticized the US. The Korean public is rightfully asking whose country is Yoon representing anyway when he doesn’t do anything to defend the country and stick up for the interests of South Korea. The public recognizes this as a totally failed leadership.