Support skids as S.Korea's Roh nears 6-month mark
( 2003-08-21 14:33) (Agencies)
South Korea's frequent labor strife and uncertain economic picture have undercut President Roh Moo-hyun's approval ratings as he approaches six months in office next week, a newspaper survey showed on Thursday.
The JoongAng Ilbo daily poll showed 55.5 percent of respondents thought Roh was doing a poor job, against 41.9 percent who rated his performance favorably. Three months ago, detractors and supporters were about evenly split.
Respondents largely approved of Roh's handling of mercurial North Korea, the newspaper said in a finding that comes days before six-country talks in Beijing next week to try to resolve the impasse over the North's nuclear weapons programs.
The former labor-lawyer got the lowest marks for his handling of the economy and labor issues, after a series of walkouts in which government intervention was seen as helping truckers, autoworkers and other groups win sweeping concessions.
Of 834 adult voters surveyed, 75.7 percent gave him failing marks on the economy, and 72.1 percent faulted his labor policies, said the JoongAng Ilbo, which conducted the telephone poll this week with the East Asian Institute.
The central bank said last month South Korea had entered its first recession in five years, and second quarter GDP data due to be published on Friday is expected to confirm that assessment.
Roh's single five-year term runs through to February 2008 and he is barred by the constitution from seeking re-election. His left-of-center government faces parliamentary elections in April.
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