Impeached South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeo's approval rating rises? Opposition party questions survey results

On the 5th of this month, the results of a public opinion poll were announced showing that the approval rating of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was impeached in the country, has reached 40%. Yoon declared "emergency martial law" on the 3rd of last month and has been in the midst of a political upheaval.
The nation was thrown into chaos. The National Assembly passed an impeachment bill and Yoon is currently suspended from his duties as president. A joint investigation team consisting of police and other organizations attempted to arrest Yoon on suspicion of masterminding a civil war.
Article 87 of the Korean Criminal Code stipulates that if a riot is started with the intent of eliminating state power or violating the national constitution, it will be punished as a crime of treason. The maximum penalty is the death penalty.
Many Koreans are calling for severe punishment of Yoon for causing chaos. In a survey conducted by a major polling company after Yoon declared emergency law, Yoon's approval rating hit its lowest since he became president.
However, the unbelievable result was recently announced that Yoon's approval rating had "recovered in a V-shape in one month" (Chosun Ilbo). The main opposition Democratic Party and others have expressed doubts about this, questioning the fairness and honesty of the results.
The government has announced its intention to file charges against the Korea Public Opinion Research Institute (KOPRA), which conducted the survey, for violating the Public Offices Election Act, citing doubts about the survey's accuracy.
The survey was conducted on the 4th and 5th of this month among 1,000 men and women aged 18 and over nationwide.
" 31% answered "I strongly support it," and 9% answered "I support it." In terms of age groups, 37% of those in their teens and twenties answered "I strongly support it" or "I support it," 36% of those in their thirties, and 40% of those in their thirties answered "I don't support it."
The numbers were 26% for those in their 10s, 39% for those in their 50s, 40% for those in their 60s, and 61% for those in their 70s, showing a tendency for the percentage of people in their 50s and older to support the bill to increase with age.
In a poll conducted by the polling company Gallup Korea after Yoon declared emergency martial law in December last year, Yoon's approval rating was at its lowest since he took office.
Although a simple comparison cannot be made because the survey agencies are different, Yoon's approval rating has fallen in the past month amid growing anger and calls for punishment for the chaos he has caused in Korean society.
It appears that the economy has recovered significantly. Yoon declared "emergency martial law" late at night on the 3rd of last month. This was the first time martial law had been issued since democratization in 1987, and armed martial law soldiers were deployed to the area.
They broke the glass and stormed into the National Diet building. In a situation reminiscent of the military regime, many citizens gathered in front of the National Diet, shouting slogans against martial law and surrounding military vehicles.
However, when martial law is lifted, if a majority of the members of the National Assembly request it, the president must respond. Immediately after it was issued, a plenary session of the National Assembly was held, and all the members present voted in favor of lifting it.
The state of emergency was lifted in just six hours. The opposition party accused Yoon of declaring the state of emergency as a sign of civil unrest. A joint investigation headquarters consisting of the High-Ranking Public Officials Investigation Agency (HPA) and other organizations is investigating.
On the 3rd of this month, the Joint Investigation Headquarters entered the presidential residence to execute an arrest warrant for Yoon. However, the Presidential Security Service blocked their entry in front of the building, and a standoff lasted for more than five hours.
In the end, the investigation headquarters gave up on carrying out the execution on that day. Also, last month, the National Assembly passed a motion to impeach Yoon. The Constitutional Court's trial to decide whether the impeachment was appropriate began on the 27th of last month.
The first arguments will be held on the 14th of this month, and full-scale hearings will begin. Depending on the decision of the Constitutional Court, Yoon will be impeached.
Yoon, who is facing a difficult situation due to suspicion of masterminding a civil war and facing possible arrest, has recently seen his approval rating rise.
This situation can be seen at least from the results of the KOPRA opinion poll. The Korean newspaper Hankyoreh pointed out the bias in the question design of this survey.
"These are being shared among the supporters of certain political parties and distorting the flow of public opinion," he said. Article 108 of the Public Offices Election Act prohibits questions in opinion polls from using vocabulary or sentences that bias a particular political party or candidate.
The Democratic Party of Korea, the largest opposition party, has decided to accuse KOPRA of violating the law, arguing that "the questions were designed in a way that led to specific answers."
The joint investigation headquarters investigating Yoon again requested an arrest warrant from the court, which granted it on the 7th. The head of the High-Ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Agency, which is part of the joint investigation headquarters, again requested an arrest warrant for Yoon.
In response, groups supporting Yoon held an all-night rally near the presidential residence, while citizens calling for Yoon's impeachment and arrest also gathered, raising tensions.