S.Korean president's approval rating plunges on tax burden

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye speaks during her New Year news conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, Jan 12, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Park's popularity continued to fall since a political scandal was reported by a local newspaper Segye Ilbo over her former aide intervening in state affairs though he has no official position in the government.

Park's support rate was 50.0 percent in the third week of November 2014, a week before the scandal occurred. It was 10.6 percentage points higher than 39.4 percent in the second week of January.

Gallup Korea's poll showed that Park's approval rating tumbled from 44 percent in the third week of November to 35 percent in the second week of January.

The declining popularity may endanger Park's push for economic policies, which she spent most of one and a half hours in talking about during her third-year New Year's press conference on Jan 12.

After the press conference, most of local media reported mainly on Park's remarks about the political scandal and the reshuffling of her presidential aides, publishing little reports on her economic drive.

More threatening to the Park administration would be less popularity among the elderly living in the southeastern South Korean regions, Park's political home turf.

It may come as the government raised tobacco prices by a whopping 80 percent on average to 4,500 won a pack, raising burden for living expenses especially among middle and low-income brackets.

Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan and Health Minister Moon Hyung- pyo said during the meeting with President Park Tuesday in the presidential office that they quitted smoking from the new year. In response, Park encouraged them to renew their initial will every three days to succeed in quitting smoking.

A series of unpopular policy came as there would be no nationwide election in the country until April 2016 when general elections are scheduled to be held. In late 2017, a presidential election will be held.