Leaders of the governing Grand National Party applaud at party headquarters in Seoul, after the party was victorious in the National Assembly elections, Wednesday. From left are Park Hee-tae, chief of the party’s campaign headquarters; party Chairman Kang Jae-sup; and floor leader Ahn Sang-soo.
/ Yonhap |
Governing Party Fails to Win Absolute Majority of 168 Seats
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
The governing conservative Grand National Party (GNP) became the largest party by securing 152 out of the 299 National Assembly seats but failed to win an absolute majority of 168 as of 11 p.m. Wednesday.
This means it needs the cooperation of 50 winners from other conservative parties and independents to pass crucial reform bills.
In the elections Wednesday, the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) failed to secure 100 seats, which are necessary to block the any possible move by the GNP to change the Constitution. It is expected to secure about 85 seats, including those awarded through proportional representation.
Conservatism swept the country with the GNP and other conservative groups and independents, whose political orientations are almost identical with the governing party, expected to secure more than 200 seats. Once these conservatives unite, they can revise the Constitution.
Independents also showed a strong showing as many as 25 are expected to win this time, compared with just 2 four years ago.
Minor Creative Korea Party leader Moon Kook-hyun defeated his rival Rep. Lee Jae-oh of the GNP, a right-hand man of President Lee Myung-bak.
Campaign watchers said there is no doubt that former GNP Chairwoman Rep. Park Geun-hye was the clear winner as about 30 of her supporters were elected.
Seoul and its adjacent areas picked conservative candidates.
Regionalism was manifest again as the southwestern Jeolla region, the birthplace of former President Kim Dae-jung, threw blanket support to non-GNP candidates, while in the southeastern Gyeongsang provinces, conservatives won clear victories.
Voter turnout stood at a record low of 46 percent.
The hardcore minor conservative Liberty Forward Party (LFP) was expected to clinch about 18 seats mostly in the central Chungcheong provinces, but will be unable to form a floor negotiation group in the unicameral legislature.
With the 151 seats, the governing party would desperately need Park Geun-hye and her aides to pursue President Lee Myung-bak's reform drive in major policy areas.
Political analysts said President Lee could face challenges with the somewhat disappointing election results.
Lee plans to kick off a contentious cross-country canal project, his signature campaign pledge, next year despite escalating opposition from the public and the opposition parties.
Public opinion polls show that over 50 percent of people oppose the plan that will connect Seoul to Busan if adopted.
Park, who garnered about 90 percent of support in her district in Daegu, made it clear that she would bring her followers back to the governing party after the elections.
The defeat of Lee's confidants such as Lee Jae-oh is also a plus factor for her to bolster her position inside the party.
Voting started at 6 a.m. and continued until 6 p.m. in 13,246 polling stations nationwide amid rain in the southern provinces from early morning.
Experts said the bad weather and public apathy toward politics ― particularly among young voters ― were responsible for the record-low voter turnout.
To encourage participation, the National Election Commission (NEC) handed out discount coupons, which can be used in museums and other public facilities, to each person voting.
The carrot, however, was not attractive enough to bring out more people to the ballot boxes.
Meanwhile, leaders of the main opposition UDP will face possible pressure to resign to take responsibility for the defeat.
UDP Co-chairman Sohn Hak-kyu lost the Jongno race, and former presidential candidate Chung Dong-young was defeated by Chung Mong-joon of the GNP by large margins.
Campaign watchers said the UDP's poor showing might pressure its incumbent leaders to resign.
The elections left contrasting legacies for the hardcore conservative LFP and the progressive parties ― waxing for the former, while waning for the latter. The Democratic Labor Party is expected to have five lawmakers in total, half of the 10 seats it gained in the 2004 elections.
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
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