Karl Friedhoff
@kfriedhoff.bsky.social
Marshall M. Bouton Fellow for Asia Studies at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs
As Lee Jae-myung nears 100 days in office, here's how he stacks up against previous presidents. 63% approval. Yoon at a similar period was at just 28%. Only region where is underwater is Daegu (36%) , and he is above water in every age cohort.
September 10, 2025 at 12:51 PM
As Lee Jae-myung nears 100 days in office, here's how he stacks up against previous presidents. 63% approval. Yoon at a similar period was at just 28%. Only region where is underwater is Daegu (36%) , and he is above water in every age cohort.
And then there's this. I mean, come on. No mention of Trump's actions during that period.
September 5, 2025 at 2:58 PM
And then there's this. I mean, come on. No mention of Trump's actions during that period.
Lee Jae-myung is seen as a better leader on every issue in the survey, ranging from economic issues to national security. (North Korea wasn't specifically asked about.)
May 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Lee Jae-myung is seen as a better leader on every issue in the survey, ranging from economic issues to national security. (North Korea wasn't specifically asked about.)
We're now within the 7-day moratorium on new public opinion polls ahead of the ROK presidential election. The last weekly poll from Gallup Korea has Lee (45%) with a clear lead over Kim (36%) and Lee June-seok (10%).
May 28, 2025 at 3:53 PM
We're now within the 7-day moratorium on new public opinion polls ahead of the ROK presidential election. The last weekly poll from Gallup Korea has Lee (45%) with a clear lead over Kim (36%) and Lee June-seok (10%).
And on the US, about what is expected. Acknowledges the importance of US alliance, but suggests this has to be balanced with broader accounting of Korean interests.
May 14, 2025 at 1:26 PM
And on the US, about what is expected. Acknowledges the importance of US alliance, but suggests this has to be balanced with broader accounting of Korean interests.
For China (and Russia), he is proposing a return to a more balanced approach to South Korea foreign policy.
May 14, 2025 at 1:23 PM
For China (and Russia), he is proposing a return to a more balanced approach to South Korea foreign policy.
Meanwhile, here's Han DS speaking about Park Chung-hee, Korea's military dictator from 1961-1979. Yeesh.
May 8, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Meanwhile, here's Han DS speaking about Park Chung-hee, Korea's military dictator from 1961-1979. Yeesh.
Apart from whatever mythical constitutional reform Han DS thinks resolves this, PPP could take steps to win--or at least be competitive--in general elections. Instead, PPP has been trounced past two times. So maybe start with that?
May 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Apart from whatever mythical constitutional reform Han DS thinks resolves this, PPP could take steps to win--or at least be competitive--in general elections. Instead, PPP has been trounced past two times. So maybe start with that?
South Korean men in their 20s have become increasingly conservative since 2016-ish.
April 28, 2025 at 12:50 PM
South Korean men in their 20s have become increasingly conservative since 2016-ish.
As Yoon leaves his official residence, he's seen wearing a "Make Korea Great Again" hat.
April 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
As Yoon leaves his official residence, he's seen wearing a "Make Korea Great Again" hat.
Gallup also includes trust in institutions. Important: this is from the Jan. 7-9 survey, not most recent survey, so numbers likely shifted. Most trusted is Constitutional Court (57%). One of least trusted are Prosecutors (22%). Really hope they ask this again so we can see the shift among parties.
January 24, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Gallup also includes trust in institutions. Important: this is from the Jan. 7-9 survey, not most recent survey, so numbers likely shifted. Most trusted is Constitutional Court (57%). One of least trusted are Prosecutors (22%). Really hope they ask this again so we can see the shift among parties.
When asked about trust in parties, DP (41%) is basically even with party support. PPP (31%) underperforms party support by quite a margin. So some people seem to say they support the PPP but also don't trust the party. That's.....an interesting position.
January 24, 2025 at 2:04 PM
When asked about trust in parties, DP (41%) is basically even with party support. PPP (31%) underperforms party support by quite a margin. So some people seem to say they support the PPP but also don't trust the party. That's.....an interesting position.
First, support for the Democratic Party (40%) is now virtually tied with PPP (38%). Rise in support for PPP has created speculation that conservatives are gaming polls, creating conservative oversample. Not sure what I think about that, given next piece of data.
January 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM
First, support for the Democratic Party (40%) is now virtually tied with PPP (38%). Rise in support for PPP has created speculation that conservatives are gaming polls, creating conservative oversample. Not sure what I think about that, given next piece of data.
Finally, there is falling support for Yoon's impeachment. Now down to 57%, from an initial 75%. Helps to explain Yoon's strategy to delay, delay, delay. He is hoping top line numbers will shift to majority oppose and that might influence Constitutional Court judges.
January 17, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Finally, there is falling support for Yoon's impeachment. Now down to 57%, from an initial 75%. Helps to explain Yoon's strategy to delay, delay, delay. He is hoping top line numbers will shift to majority oppose and that might influence Constitutional Court judges.
But real reason I wanted to cover this report is Gallup Korea does something unusual. It posts data on election expectations from previous surveys. In the below it shows that the public consistently expected the Democratic Party to win the most recent (2024) National Assembly election.
January 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
But real reason I wanted to cover this report is Gallup Korea does something unusual. It posts data on election expectations from previous surveys. In the below it shows that the public consistently expected the Democratic Party to win the most recent (2024) National Assembly election.
First, support for PPP has rebounded, and now stands at its highest point in quite some time (39%). I won't speculate (too much) here on reasons for this bounce, but likely a mix of factors. One that can't be ruled out is that PPP supporters are highly motivated to answer these surveys right now.
January 17, 2025 at 3:44 PM
First, support for PPP has rebounded, and now stands at its highest point in quite some time (39%). I won't speculate (too much) here on reasons for this bounce, but likely a mix of factors. One that can't be ruled out is that PPP supporters are highly motivated to answer these surveys right now.
Never attribute to sheer ineptness what can be attributed to Chinese interference. english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...
January 17, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Never attribute to sheer ineptness what can be attributed to Chinese interference. english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...
Yoon's lawyers now say Yoon didn't do the insurrection, but the CIO & NOI heads did the insurrection. koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-01...
January 16, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Yoon's lawyers now say Yoon didn't do the insurrection, but the CIO & NOI heads did the insurrection. koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-01...
To those of you planning to do some martial law-ing, a reminder to read the documents carefully before doing the martial law. www.koreaherald.com/article/1040...
January 16, 2025 at 1:57 PM
To those of you planning to do some martial law-ing, a reminder to read the documents carefully before doing the martial law. www.koreaherald.com/article/1040...
Before arrest, Chosun reports Yoon had tea with PPP members including giving them political advice. I'm no expert of retail politics, but I'm not sure I would be taking political advice from a guy who has proven incapable at the basics of retail politics. www.chosun.com/politics/pol...
January 15, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Before arrest, Chosun reports Yoon had tea with PPP members including giving them political advice. I'm no expert of retail politics, but I'm not sure I would be taking political advice from a guy who has proven incapable at the basics of retail politics. www.chosun.com/politics/pol...
As I get caught up on Yoon's arrest, this is striking. Saw something similar when troops assigned to take National Assembly slow-rolled it. Maybe this is from sense of duty to nation. More likely is rank and file are aware they would be prosecuted themselves. www.koreaherald.com/article/1039...
January 15, 2025 at 12:55 PM
As I get caught up on Yoon's arrest, this is striking. Saw something similar when troops assigned to take National Assembly slow-rolled it. Maybe this is from sense of duty to nation. More likely is rank and file are aware they would be prosecuted themselves. www.koreaherald.com/article/1039...
Spare a thought for anyone trying to commute in Seoul this morning. The road where this is taking place--which Naver has helpfully marked in red--is a major artery for north-south traffic. It can be awful at the best of times.
January 14, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Spare a thought for anyone trying to commute in Seoul this morning. The road where this is taking place--which Naver has helpfully marked in red--is a major artery for north-south traffic. It can be awful at the best of times.
For the next president, Lee Jae-myung clearly the favorite with 37%. What is notable is that there is no conservative even close. Han DH and Hong JP both at 5%. Should note there are very high "No Opinion"(35%) and "None" (28%).
December 20, 2024 at 3:13 PM
For the next president, Lee Jae-myung clearly the favorite with 37%. What is notable is that there is no conservative even close. Han DH and Hong JP both at 5%. Should note there are very high "No Opinion"(35%) and "None" (28%).
Meanwhile, the PPP support seems to have bottomed out for the time being at 24%. But DP support continues to climb, with support now at 48%.
December 20, 2024 at 3:07 PM
Meanwhile, the PPP support seems to have bottomed out for the time being at 24%. But DP support continues to climb, with support now at 48%.
The next question will be what is Yoon's current approval rate, and the answer is that we don't really know. They've stopped asking the question as Yoon is not currently serving as president. His numbers last week were 11/85.
December 20, 2024 at 3:06 PM
The next question will be what is Yoon's current approval rate, and the answer is that we don't really know. They've stopped asking the question as Yoon is not currently serving as president. His numbers last week were 11/85.