President Park Geun-hye’s approval ratings rebounded after the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of disbanding the minor opposition party Friday, a poll showed Monday.

Park’s endorsement rating on Friday rose to 42.6 percent, a 4.8 percentage point increase from 37.8 percent surveyed on Wednesday, according to Realmeter, a local pollster. The survey asked 2,500 voters between Dec. 15 and 19 with a 2 percent margin of error and a 95 percent confidence level. The percentage of respondents who had a negative assessment of her state management also dropped to 47.3 percent on Friday from 52.6 percent the Monday before, the pollster said.

The increase in Park’s job ratings is the result of conservative voters returning to her support groups after the nation’s top court ordered the dissolution of the Unified Progressive Party, Realmeter said.

The court in its ruling concluded that the party aimed to overthrow the South Korean government and create a communist country like North Korea. Park hailed the ruling as “a historical decision” that buttressed the country’s liberal democracy.

On the heels of the UPP’s disbandment, Park’s approval rating is expected to reach 40 percent next week, said Lee Taek-soo, president of Realmeter.

Earlier this month, Park’s approval rating fell to its lowest level since she began her term in February 2013. Analysts said the drop reflects the public’s disappointment with the president over a power struggle scandal between Chung Yoon-hoi, her former aide, and her brother Park Ji-man.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)