For the Lee Myung-bak administration to succeed, regaining the public’s trust is a must, according to results of a recent poll.
The JoongAng Ilbo and the East Asia Institute commissioned Hankook Research to survey 1,000 adults nationwide on Feb. 9 and 10 to mark the first anniversary of Lee’s presidential inauguration. Some 32.2 percent of those polled are satisfied with Lee’s performance, and 29.4 percent said they trust the government.
EAI analysts said the deepening economic crisis prevents Lee’s approval from plummeting further due to a "rally 'round the flag" effect. They say this explains the increased popular support for the president.
Of those polled, 47.4 percent who said they trust the Lee administration said the President is doing well in coping with the economic crisis; 52.6 percent said it is not. Of those who said they do not trust the administration, 90.6 percent said the government is failing in its economic efforts, indicating that the public’s distrust is directly linked to the people’s skepticism of the government policies.
The poll also showed that public expectations for the government to revive the economy have not faded. More than 60 percent said economy-related tasks should be the top priority of the administration. Some 41.6 percent said they want the government to reinforce welfare policy while 57.7 percent said they want the government to concentrate on economic growth.
Public concern has grown in areas beyond the economy. In February of last year, 6.3 percent said the Lee administration’s priority should be uniting the nation. That figure has grown to 13.9 percent this year. Those who wanted political reform set as the priority were 3.6 percent of the total last year. The figure has now grown to 7.4 percent.
By Shin Chang-un, Ser Myo-ja