The latest poll from Realmeter reveals that the president's approval rating has dropped to 48.4%. This represents an increase in the negative sentiment towards the president compared to previous weeks.

A total of 2,007 people aged 18 or above participated in this study, which was conducted between Monday and Thursday of last week. The margin of error for this study is estimated at 2.2 percentage points, with a confidence level of 95%.

This result follows a rebound seen in late June when the president's approval rating stood at 46.5%. It then rose to 47% in early July before falling back down to 48.9%.

According to Realmeter, the approval rating remained above 50% during most of the first half of the week but declined significantly as the week progressed. Factors contributing to this decline include rising interest rates set by the central bank and sharp declines in stock prices.

Additionally, respondents expressed disapproval over proposed measures aimed at limiting investigative powers within law enforcement agencies. Specifically, they cited concerns regarding comparisons between different groups of voters, particularly those aged 40-49 and liberal-leaning individuals.

Realmeter also reported on another recent survey where President Lee’s approval ratings fell further below 43%, indicating greater divisions among supporters across age groups and political leanings than previously observed. In contrast, opposition party People Power Party saw an increase of 1.9 percentage points compared to previous weeks.

The Korea Times notes that no additional data were available from these surveys about sample size or sampling period. Consequently, it remains unclear whether current trend will persist into future studies or if results may revert.

It is worth noting that there are still many unanswered questions surrounding impact of monetary policy tightening, market volatility, and internal conflicts within governing parties.