With an edge of meager seven votes
The National Assembly approved the appointment of Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo at its plenary session on Feb. 16, 2015 with an edge of only seven votes.
Of the total 281 lawmakers participating, 148 voted in favor of his appointment, 128 against and five ineffective. The approval rating was 52.7% second to the lowest in the history of parliamentary action on the PM designates.
The five lawmakers of the modest progressive Justice Party did not take part in the voting--otherwise the approving edge would have been reduced to mere two votes.
Following the designation of Lee as prime minister by President Park Geun-hye on Jan. 23, 2015, Lee had been favorably received by the general public, including a substantial number of opposition lawmakers. However, his popularity rating plummeted to the bottom due to his remarks at an informal meeting with journalists that he had a great measure of influence on the leaders of the mass communications media.