Yoon's approval rating has declined from the low 50s since his inauguration and has
fluctuated between
the
high 20s
and
low 40s . While Yoon's domestic approval
improved after diplomatic visits
to the United States and the G7 Summit in Japan, it has not returned to pre-inaugural levels.
Yoon has contentious relations with the opposition Democratic Party, which controls South Korea's National Assembly. The partisan conflict has reached new heights under Yoon.
Yoon's political agenda has stalled under the partisan gridlock. The proposed pension, labor and education reforms, such as greater transparency of
labor unions' auditing , flexibility in
employees' work hours , and the abolition of the
direct election
of the education superintendent,
have stymied .
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Yoon has also struggled to expand domestic political support because of the fractures and controversies within the government. Traditional (often older) conservative voters and more ideologically heterogeneous (often younger male ) voters make up Yoon's support base. But support for Yoon's government among younger voters
has declined .
Young voters have criticized Yoon's government for replicating what they
perceive
as the cliquish governance of former president Moon Jae-in's government. The President's Office has been criticized for
marginalizing prominent figures
within the ruling People's Power Party, including
yoo seong-min ,
lee jun-seok
and
ahn cheol-soo , who formed a unity ticket with Yoon in the presidential election.
Controversial
remarks
and
conduct
by government members have contributed to public perceptions that Yoon's presidency has
fallen short
of upholding the promise of“fairness and common sense.”
Yoon's government has struggled to communicate its policies effectively to the broader public on several contentious political issues. After the crowd crush incident at Itaewon, Yoon's government rejected demands for the resignation of the Minister of Interior and Safety.
Halloween revellers in Seoul before the stampede began. Image: Screengrab / Skynews
But
the public
perceived the decision as an attempt to avoid political responsibility. The government's proposal to implement flexible labor hours was also met with
public backlash
due to widespread concerns about the extension of weekly work hours for employees.
Yoon's foreign policy has also
heightened
the domestic political divide. Yoon's supporters have approved his deepening of South Korea's strategic partnerships with the United States and Japan and more
assertive stances
against North Korea and China.
Critics, though, say that Yoon is escalating geopolitical tensions and
sacrificing south korea's interests
to Japan and the United States. Despite their policy merits, Yoon's government has been perceived as making contentious policy decisions without sufficiently
consulting
domestic critics.
South Korea's next National Assembly election is in April 2024. If the government aspires to a legislative mandate to enact its agenda, Yoon's second year in office must be
more successful
than his first in internal governance and public communication.
Yoon's government must display discipline in managing a more cohesive and inclusive political coalition. Government figures and officials whose behavior and rhetoric
undercut
Yoon's promise to uphold 'fairness and common sense' should be
censured .
Yoon's government should also incorporate policymakers with more diverse
background s, including those outside the president's inner circle and even his critics, reaffirming Yoon's own campaign
promise
of a“big tent” government.
The government should honor its promise to prioritize“interaction” with citizens. Yoon relocated the presidential office from the Blue House to the government complex in Yongsan, symbolizing his commitment to political accessibility.
But Yoon's
daily informal press interviews
were
soon suspended
and the President's Office has
received criticism
for limiting press interviews. Yoon should resume outgoing interactions with the press and citizens.
There is some skepticism about whether open communication could persuade the public in today's polarized political environment. But a proactive display of political dialogue and articulation of policies, even if such outreach does not always persuade critics, leaves a positive public impression on Yoon's commitment to overcome the constraints of a divided government.
Yoon has shown improvements in his communication overseas and he should also improve his communication with domestic constituents, starting with resuming the official press conference for the first time since August 2022.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks at the ceremony marking Samsung Display's new display. Photo: Yonhap
Yoon's government will likely face continued partisan gridlock in its second year. The government must respond to the challenge with a renewed commitment to improving internal governance and public communication to be successful.
The government's actions will determine whether constituents will endorse Yoon's presidency with a stronger political mandate in the next National Assembly election.
If Yoon succeeds, his presidency might experience a political turnaround similar to former president Roo Moo-hyun's government. In 2004, Roh's government overcame low approval ratings and the South Korean legislature's opposition to his leadership -
even impeachment
- in its first year to
win
the subsequent National Assembly election.
If Yoon fails, though, his presidency might become the first not to have a legislative majority throughout its five-year term.
Jong Eun Lee is Adjunct Faculty at the School of International Service, American University.
This article was originally published by East Asia Forum and is republished under a Creative Commons license.
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