President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has dropped below 40% for the first time since his 2025 inauguration, according to Realmeter opinion polls, due to escalating tensions with the Supreme Court. The dispute centers around the rejection of Supreme Court justice appointments by the presidential office, which criticized the court's decisions as unilateral. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea defends this stance, arguing that the presidency should not merely rubber-stamp judicial choices. Meanwhile, Chief Justice Jo Hee-de faces accusations of influencing the 2025 presidential election, and the National Assembly has postponed parliamentary hearings over his recent personal loss. Additional factors contributing to the declining approval include housing affordability issues, public safety concerns related to police misconduct on Jeju Island, and internal political conflicts.
Bias read (Center): While the article presents the conflict between President Lee and the Supreme Court, it does not clearly favor either side. It provides balanced reporting on both the presidential office's actions and the ruling party's defense, while also mentioning criticisms against Chief Justice Jo. The framing,






