South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has faced widespread ridicule and anger after a poorly judged visit to a food market where he praised the price of spring onions. The market, however, was heavily subsidised, and the incident quickly became a symbol of his disconnect from voters grappling with soaring grocery costs. In February, a single apple at a fancy department store cost $7 (£5.5), highlighting the severity of the issue.
The backlash over the spring onion gaffe is just one of many factors that contributed to his conservative party's defeat in South Korea's parliamentary elections. The vote was widely seen as a referendum on Mr Yoon's first two years in office, during which his approval rating has hovered around 30-40%. Half of those surveyed last month rated his performance as 'very bad'.
Mr Yoon's unpopularity stems from several missteps, including diplomatic gaffes such as being caught swearing on mic after meeting US President Joe Biden, and controversies surrounding his wife, First Lady Kim Keon Hee. She has faced accusations of plagiarism and stock manipulation, and was filmed accepting an expensive Dior handbag in apparent violation of anti-corruption laws.
The election defeat leaves Mr Yoon as the only president in South Korea's constitutional history to face an opposition-led assembly for his entire five-year term. Analysts warn he risks becoming a 'lame-duck' president, with his domestic agenda severely hampered and little ability to address urgent issues like a slowing economy, unaffordable housing, and an ageing population.
Despite his domestic troubles, Mr Yoon has focused on foreign policy, strengthening ties with the US and taking a tough stance on North Korea. However, critics argue his confrontational approach has been needlessly provocative, with North Korea launching more weapons than ever and inter-Korean relations at their worst in years.
