SEOUL, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun's popularity plunged to under 17 percent, raising concerns about his lame duck position, surveys showed Thursday.
According to a joint survey by Gallup Korea and the country's leading Chosun Ilbo newspaper Thursday, Roh's approval ratings fell to 16.1 percent, down from 20.2 percent in June.
His popularity was 59.6 percent just after he took office in March 2003. His five-year term ends in early 2008.
Another survey conducted by The Opinion pollster showed Roh's ratings plummeted to 11 percent from last month's 12.9 percent.
Ratings for Roh's Uri Party also fell to 13.6 percent, further widening the gap with the main opposition and anti-communist Grand National Party that garnered 40 percent, the survey showed.
The polling agencies attributed Roh's falling popularity to the latest public backlash over the government's real estate policy failure and rifts with the United States over North Korea's nuclear test.
Roh has been under fire for the failure of curbing skyrocketing house prices, which caused concerns about the possible bursting of a real estate bubble.
