Recent polls show that President Yoon Suk-yeol’s approval rates have steadied in the mid-30s after a slow but steady climb through November and December. While that might seem low, Yoon likely considers a mid-30s approval rate a modest success considering the arc of his presidency up to this point.

But he cannot afford to remain satisfied with those numbers as the ROK’s political parties prepare themselves for next year’s parliamentary elections. Suppose the ruling People Power Party (PPP) fails to wrest majority control of the National Assembly from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). In that case, Yoon will spend