Seoul, April 17 (NationPress) The approval rating for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has slightly decreased for the first time in three weeks, now standing at 66 percent, according to a recent poll published on Friday.

This survey, conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday to Thursday with 1,000 participants aged 18 and older, indicated that the positive evaluation of Lee's performance dipped by 1 percentage point from the previous week, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

In the last poll, Lee's approval rating was at 67 percent for two consecutive weeks, marking the highest since he assumed office.

Negative evaluations increased by 2 percentage points to 26 percent, with 8 percent remaining unsure.

Among the reasons cited for the positive approval, 17 percent attributed it to Lee's handling of the economy and livelihoods, followed by diplomacy at 14 percent and competence at 11 percent.

Conversely, concerns about the economy and the high exchange rate were the leading reasons for negative assessments, at 17 percent, followed by diplomacy at 12 percent and excessive welfare policies at 9 percent.

The approval rating for the ruling Democratic Party remained unchanged at 48 percent, sustaining its highest level since the current administration began for the third consecutive week.

Support for the main opposition People Power Party saw a slight decrease of 1 percentage point to 19 percent.

The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a confidence level of 95 percent.

On Thursday, Cheong Wa Dae announced that President Lee will participate in discussions led by Britain and France this week regarding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

This virtual meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer late Friday (Seoul time), aims to secure safe passage through this critical waterway.

A senior official stated, “The freedom and security of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz are essential for all parties involved and crucial to our national interests, prompting us to collaborate with like-minded nations.”

President Lee is expected to address issues concerning energy supply chains, South Korea's position on the Middle East, and the significance of international solidarity in ensuring safe passage through this vital shipping route.

This leader-level meeting follows prior consultations, including a France-led video conference of senior military officials on March 26 and a Britain-led ministerial meeting on April 2, both of which South Korea attended.

It remains unclear if the United States will participate in the meeting, while confirmations regarding China and Japan are still pending.