SOUTH KOREA: Yoon Suk-yeol's Approval Drops To 19%

The approval rating of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's has dropped to 19% following a poorly received first four-months in office.

• According to Morning Consult's Global Leader Approval Tracker, Yoon is now the least popular global leader of the 22 covered by the survey.
• Yoon's approval rating is being buffeted by a controversial education policy roll-out which led to the resignation of Minister of Education Park Soon-ae earlier this week.
• Hankyoreh: "The Ministry of Education ended up facing a firestorm of public opinion after announcing plans to lower the elementary school admission age by one year to students aged at least 5 years old, along with additional plans to abolish foreign language high schools."
• Yoon has also received criticism for appearing to snub a visit from US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) following her Congressional delegation to Taiwan.
• According to Morning Consult, South Koreans have the world's least favourable view of China and Yoon's decision to travel to China, to provide assurances to Beijing, at the height of tensions in the Taiwan Strait rankled with South Korean voters.
• ROK's Joong Ang Daily: "Yoon could have saved some of his sinking approval rating if he showed up at the presidential office in Yongsan for a special meeting with a foreign guest."
• Yoon notably told the press that he doesn't, "care about approval ratings,” but the Korea Herald cautions that the collapse of Yoon's approval, and allegations of nepotism are likely to hinder an ambitious domestic agenda which includes reform in education, pensions, and labour.