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The majority of Koreans can't name a single achievement made by President Lee Myung-bak in his first 100 days in office, but most have no trouble pointing to failures. When asked what President Lee has achieved in his first 100 days, 81 percent of respondents in a recent Gallup Korea poll said "nothing" or "undecided." But when asked where Lee has performed poorly, a majority of respondents cited among several issues while only 15.7 said "nothing" or "undecided."
Asked to name Lee's biggest failure so far, more than half of respondents, 54.4 percent, cited the U.S. beef import deal. This group was followed by people who complained that prices have soared and he has failed to revive the economy (6.4 percent). Next were people who complained about Lee's personnel management of public servants (5.9 percent), people who complained about his failure to listen to public opinion (5.2 percent), people who complained about his plan for the construction of a cross-country canal (2.8 percent), and people who complained about his handling of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (2.6 percent).
Other respondents said that Lee's biggest failure was pushing for the implementation of policies without full preparation (0.8 percent), that he makes decisions arbitrarily (0.8 percent), or that he has failed to achieve reconciliation within the Grand National Party (0.8 percent). Other minority opinions included complaints that he has dismissed too many government employees and that he hasn't kept promises he made to the public.
A small percentage of respondents were able to cite some achievements Lee has made over the past 100 days. Some 5.4 percent pointed to his diplomacy with the U.S. and China, 2.7 percent praised his reduction of government employees and restructuring of public corporations, 1.5 percent praised his tightening of discipline among government employees, 1.1 percent liked his hard-working style in managing state affairs, and 1.0 percent praised his efforts to revive the economy. Others credited him with his policy toward North Korea and his introduction of competition in the education system.
Poll experts said Lee's approval rating has plummeted in part because many people don't seem to understand what his achievements are, but most can easily enumerate his problems.
Huh Jin-jae, a Gallup Korea official said, "On the 100th day of his presidency, former president Kim Young-sam was credited by many people with addressing corruption issues, while his successor Kim Dae-jung was praised for his handling of the financial crisis. But people seem to have a hard time thinking of President Lee's good deeds."
On the 100th day of his presidency, Kim Young-sam's Gallup poll approval rating was 84.2 percent, while Kim Dae-jung's was 62.2 percent, and that of Roh Moo-hyun, Lee's immediate predecessor, was 40.2 percent.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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