As approval ratings dip, Lee turns to X to reach supporters

President Lee Jae Myung has increasingly turned to X during periods of political difficulty, with his posting activity surging as his approval rating declined.

Lee posted more frequently in September than in any other month since taking office, publishing 116 posts, or an average of 3.87 per day, according to the JoongAng Ilbo's analysis of his first 1,000 posts as of 6 p.m. on Oct. 12.

The surge coincided with his approval rating dropping below 40 percent for the first time. His approval rating stood at 40 percent in the first week of September, then fell to 38 percent in the second week and 37 percent in the third, according to surveys conducted by Gallup Korea.

Lee has continued posting more than five times a day on average this month, even as his approval rating edged up to 39 percent for the third week of October.

Lee's deep attachment to X is something he has openly acknowledged.

“When established media interests sought to isolate me, distort the facts, smear me with false information and attack me, it was social media that connected me with the people, allowed me to reveal the truth, saved me and brought me to where I am today,” Lee wrote on X on Sept. 30. “The more difficult things become and the more severe the distorted attacks, the more I must communicate directly with the people and rely on them.”

Lee's faith in social media has grown through two presidential elections. During his time as Seongnam mayor, he described social media as “a double-edged sword” in a January 2018 interview with the JoongAng Ilbo. But shortly before last year's presidential election, he called it his “lifeline” on May 21.

Soon after taking office in June last year, Lee acted on a suggestion he encountered on X to livestream presidential briefings, formally incorporating social media into his approach to governing.

His use of X has also changed in his second year in office.

Early in his presidency, Lee primarily published original posts, particularly on foreign policy and national security issues. Since February, though, he has increasingly interacted with other users.

A supporter wrote that it felt as if they were communicating directly with the president in an X post on Feb. 26. Just 13 minutes later, Lee replied, “A representative of the sovereign people should communicate directly with those who hold sovereignty.”

The shift is reflected in the growing share of quote posts, in which Lee shares another user's post with his own comments.

Quote posts accounted for single-digit shares of his monthly activity from June last year through January this year, but jumped to 13 posts, or 18.1 percent, in February. The share climbed to 25 percent in September and reached 47.1 percent between Oct. 1 and as of 6 p.m on Oct. 12.

Last year, Lee's quote posts largely focused on explaining policy achievements, encouraging government officials and agencies and exchanging greetings with foreign leaders. More recently, he has increasingly responded to a wider range of posts from citizens.

Among the posts Lee shared, 58 were from citizens, 48 from government bodies and public institutions and 17 from politicians.

His interactions have also increasingly touched on politically sensitive issues.

One example was the debate over the appointment of Kim Ji-yong as head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.

Responding to a citizen who opposed Kim's appointment, Lee wrote “It seems you were unaware that Kim's record of opposing [former President] Yoon Suk Yeol has already been well documented in media reports” on Sept. 30. Kim had faced criticism over his prosecutorial background and questions about his ties to Yoon, while Lee rejected the suggestions.

On Oct. 1, Lee defended the appointment again.

“If we were to reject everyone simply because they were once prosecutors, what would happen to Rep. Park Eun-jung, Chief Prosecutor Lim Eun-jung and Rep. Lee Sung-yoon? They are all prosecutors or former prosecutors,” President Lee wrote.

Following his trips to the United States and Mexico, President Lee quoted a supporter's post suggesting that the achievements of his overseas trips had not received sufficient attention. Lee wrote on Sept. 27, “Let's not be disappointed just because the YouTube channels we trusted aren't covering them.”

President Lee also issued a public warning to hard-liners within the ruling camp while quoting a citizen's post.

“Prosecution reform is not intended to create a political legacy for certain individuals,” Lee wrote on Oct. 5.

Hahn Kyu-sup, a professor at Seoul National University's Department of Communication, attributed the president's changing approach to divisions among influential figures who had previously supported him.

“As influential voices within his own political camp, including Kim Eo-jun, have become divided or less supportive, Lee may have concluded that direct communication is the best way for him to exert influence over his supporters,” Hahn said.

Lee Hoon, a professor at Kyung Hee University's Department of Media, offered a similar assessment.

“It is a form of a 'going public' strategy, in which a political leader appeals directly to the public to build political momentum,” the professor said.

Amid the rising number of social media posts, the presidential office has defended the practice as a global trend.

“Political leaders around the world commonly communicate directly with the public through social media, YouTube, podcasts and livestreaming platforms,” Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, said on Oct. 11.

Seong cited U.S. President Donald Trump, who published 6,168 posts on Truth Social last year, averaging 16.9 per day, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who frequently posts on Instagram.

However, many experts believe such strategies can do more harm than good.

“When politicians use social media, they risk surrounding themselves with people who reinforce their existing views,” said Chang Duk-jin, a sociology professor at Seoul National University. “If a leader only engages with people who offer positive feedback, they could end up making irrational decisions without questioning themselves.”

Others raised concerns about the broader political consequences.

“When politicians are publicly insulted and respond in kind on social media, it can undermine their authority,” said Choi Jin, head of the Institute of Presidential Leadership. “Addressing politically sensitive issues on social media only fuels partisan disputes.”

Jang Seung-jin, a professor of political science and international relations at Kookmin University, pointed to independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and People Power Party Rep. Joo Jin-woo, who are also active on social media.

“Their messages are typically aimed at mobilizing their support bases, but at the expense of their ability to appeal to moderate voters,” Jang said. “While such messages may briefly please their existing supporters, they are more likely to expand the ranks of those who oppose them in the long run.”

The concerns extend beyond individual politicians.

“Excessive reliance on social media is narrowing the political space and room for maneuver available to politicians,” said Lee Hyeon-woo, a professor of political science and international relations at Sogang University. “Activities focused on managing political fandoms are backfiring by deepening political disillusionment among the broader electorate.”

BY HA JUN-HO, OH SO-YEONG [[email protected]]