Why Everything’s Gone Wrong for South Korea’s President (Level 1)

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was very popular for about a year. He won the election in June 2025 after a difficult time for the country. In April 2026, about 65 percent of people approved of him. But now his approval has dropped to 37 percent, and disapproval is 57 percent. The main reasons are housing and the economy. Housing prices and rents in Seoul have risen a lot. Many people cannot afford a home. Lee also encouraged people to invest in the stock market, which went up and then down sharply. Some people lost money. He also had problems with some new government appointments. Last week, Lee said sorry and promised to do better. But history shows that once a South Korean president becomes unpopular, it is very hard to become popular again.