South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating dropped to a new low,  falling below 30% for the first time, amid surging prices and controversy over personnel nominations, according to a poll released on Friday.

According to Gallup Korea's poll of 1,000 respondents conducted between Tuesday and Thursday, 28% thought Yoon was performing well on state affairs, while 62% said he was doing poorly. It was the first time his approval rating had fallen below 30% since taking office in May.

Of the 598 people who disapproved of the President's handling of state affairs, 21% blamed it on problems surrounding personnel nominations.

According to the poll, other reasons for rejection included a lack of experience, economic concerns, the government's planned construction of a police bureau under the Interior Ministry, and tension within the ruling People Power Party (PPP).

Kweon Seong-dong, the PPP's acting chairman and floor leader, apologised earlier this week after a text conversation he had with Yoon was recorded on camera, in which he was seen chatting about suspended party chief Lee Jun-seok.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, has promised to overhaul the public sector and said earlier this month that his administration would aggressively slash spending and sell non-core assets at state firms.

Yoon's approval ratings have been steadily declining, with the latest weekly Gallup Korea poll showing on Friday that his approval rating has dropped to 28 percent from 32 percent a week earlier.

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