Koh Hyun-chul
Chairperson of National
Election Commission (NEC) |
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Amid reports that the governing party will secure a majority at the National Assembly, the nation heads to the polls today to elect 299 lawmakers.
If the conservative Grand National Party (GNP) secures 50% or more of seats in the unicameral legislature, President Lee Myung-bak will be able to pursue a reform drive in the economy, his cross-country canal project and inter-Korean relations.
However, his leadership will be tested if the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) wins in more than 100 districts.
What's of interest is whether the minor conservative Liberty Forward Party (LFP) gains the 20 or more seats needed to form a parliamentary negotiation group.
A considerable number of independents, mostly deserters from major parties, are expected to do well, posing a particular threat to the GNP.
Progressive forces are divided into two.
Of 299 seats up for grabs, 245 are elected through direct voting in each district nationwide, while the remaining 54 seats are allocated to parties according to the number of votes they win.
In a last-ditch campaign, the conservative GNP appealed to voters to help the party secure at least a simple majority in the Assembly.
But the main opposition UDP warned that the governing party will seek to change the Constitution unless the UDP holds at least one-third of the seats, or 100.
In a move to boost voter turnout beyond 50 percent, Chairperson Koh Hyun-chul of the National Election Commission (NEC) asked people to exercise the right to vote without fail.
``If you genuinely want to make a difference, you need to exercise your right to vote. Voting is a powerful tool which can bring changes in politics as well as the economy,'' Koh said in a nationally televised speech.
An opinion survey taken in March said only 51.9 percent of respondents answered they would definitely vote.
Voter turnout in the 1996 elections marked 63.9 percent, which dropped to 57.2 percent in the 2000 elections. The 2004 elections saw a slight increase to 60.6 percent.
Pollsters said the Wednesday election could mark the lowest voter turnout ever. Good weather will also reduce it as many people will take the day off for trips.
Pollsters forecast more than 10 independents will win in the elections, which will have considerable ramifications for party politics in the post-election season.
A poll taken April 2 showed that 16 independent candidates were leading and 10 others were in too close to call contests.
The number of lawmakers who won as independents has been on the downturn since the 1992 elections in which 21 won seats. The 1996 elections saw 16, which fell to 5 in 2000 and 2 in 2004.
Campaign experts said there is no doubt the 2008 elections could take a drastic turn when it comes to the number of independent winners.
About thirty-eight million people are eligible to cast ballots at 13,246 ballot boxes nationwide. Voting begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m.
Of them, 620,000 are 19 year-olds who recently became eligible voters for the first time.
There is a meaningful demographic shift in these voters _ the number of people in their 20s and 30s has decreased, while those in their 40s or older have increased, indicating that parties popular among the older generation could benefit from the demographic change.
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
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