Moon Marks 100th Day in Office with High Approval Rating

President Moon Jae-in marks his 100th day in office on Thursday with approval ratings of nearly 80 percent in recent polls.

His approval rating was 78 percent in a poll by Gallup Korea on Aug. 8-10. In the first week of June, shortly after his election, it stood at 84 percent but then fell to 74 percent in the third week of July, when controversy flared up a drastic hike in the minimum wage, only to bounce back.

Gallup said Moon's approval rating on the 100th day is the second highest after President Kim Young-sam's 83 percent in 1993.

Roh Tae-woo enjoyed 57 percent, Kim Dae-jung 62 percent, Roh Moo-hyun 40 percent, Lee Myung-bak 21 percent, and Park Geun-hye 52 percent.

People's hopes for the new administration and Moon's attempts at a firendlier and more open presidency seem to be having a positive effect on his approval ratings. But he is also burdened with difficult problems such as a security crisis caused by provocations from North Korea, how to fund his extensive welfare plans, and renegotiations of the free trade pact with Washington.

Prof. Kang Won-taek of Seoul National University said, "In a sense, Moon is benefiting from the failures of the Park Geun-hye administration and the hugely unpopular opposition parties."

Meanwhile, Moon is poised to mark the occasion by laying out various polices at a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. It will be broadcast live from 11 a.m.