President Park Geun-hye’s approval ratings have stabilized at more than 60 percent this week, indicating a successful first six months in office.

The latest survey conducted by Realmeter on July 29 showed 62.4 percent of respondents approve of Park’s administration, a 3.1 percentage point rise from a week before.

Park’s approval started around the low 40 percent level upon her inauguration due to consecutive personnel appointment debacles, but slowly picked up mainly because of her consistency in dealing with North Korea’s provocations and a series of high-profile diplomatic events.

Observers said the real test is only beginning, as Park returns from her five-day holiday next week and enters the second half of her first administrative year.

“At every start of an administration, there is a honeymoon period where the public gives the leader the benefit of the doubt regardless of any opposition attacks,” said Hong Hyung-shik, president of Hangil Research.

Park was mainly buoyed by her steady stance on North Korea and her diplomatic visits to the U.S. and China, in addition to her administrative showmanship that distanced herself from politics. Despite heated debate at the National Assembly over the National Intelligence Service’s alleged political interference and the missing 2007 inter-Korean transcript, Park has remained steadfast that those are problems belonging to the politicians.

“But such are characteristics that wane as time passes, and Park is expected to face more challenges, such as in proving the effectiveness of her welfare and public livelihood pledges by showing tangible results,” Hong said.

Korea’s economy faces growing uncertainties, due to factors such as advanced economies taking unconventional monetary policies. Korea is highly sensitive to external factors with exports accounting for more than 50 percent of its economy.

Park’s approval began to visibly rebound in May and June upon her summit talks with presidents Barack Obama of the U.S. and Xi Jinping of China, but pundits said a popularity surge through diplomatic events is not sustainable.

They said the key to the success of Park’s upcoming months is those in their 20s, 30s and 40s living in the metropolitan region, since they continue to show below-average support. Park, on the other hand, is avidly supported by those in their 50s and older living in the Gyeongsang Province area.

Her major tasks would include how she manages her team to implement her expensive welfare pledges, adjust her economic democratization measures and deal with various external economic factors.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)