President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell for a second straight week, a survey showed Friday, in the aftermath of his special pardons of political figures.
In the Gallup Korea survey of 1,004 adults conducted from Tuesday to Thursday, the positive assessment of Lee's performance fell to 56 percent, down 3 percentage points from the previous week.
The negative assessment of Lee gained 5 percentage points to 35 percent.
Respondents cited Lee's special pardon for political figures and businesspeople, excessive welfare and livelihood support, as well as his poor diplomacy, as reasons for the negative assessment.
Lee's approval rating dropped from 64 percent in mid-July to 59 percent last week before dipping further to 56 percent this week.
Last week, Lee granted special pardons to several politicians convicted of embezzlement and other serious offenses, including former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, who was convicted of academic fraud involving his daughter.
Cho was released early Friday after serving eight months of his two-year sentence.
In the same survey, the approval rating for the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party both added 3 percentage points to 44 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
Support for the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, which Cho founded last year and rejoined following his release, stood at 4 percent.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. (Yonhap)
