By Chung Min-uck
Official election campaigns for the April 11 National Assembly elections are coming to a loudspeaker near you today with over 900 candidates registered to compete for 246 parliamentary seats. Fifty-four seats are for proportional representatives.
On Wednesday, Rep. Park Geun-hye, chairwoman of the ruling Saenuri Party’s interim leadership committee, paid a visit to Jogyesa temple in Jongno to seek support from Buddhists.
Han Myeong-sook, chairwomen of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), and Rep. Lee Jung-hee, chairwoman of the minor opposition Unified Progressive Party (UPP), together visited the southeastern port city of Busan which has emerged as political hot spot in the upcoming elections.
The parliamentary elections are crucial for political parties as a test to gauge people’s sentiment for the presidential election at the end of the year.
South Koreans living overseas including permanent residents will cast their ballots for the first time in the elections.
Voting will take place at 158 diplomatic missions in 107 countries for six days until April 2, according to the National Election Commission.
A total of 123,571 or 5.5 percent of the eligible voters who have pre-registered will vote.
Meanwhile, Negative campaigning has already begun between the rival parties.
The ruling party is attacking the oppositions for their pro-North Korean identity and flip-flopping stance on key issues including the Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement and the construction of a Naval base on Jeju Island.
“The upcoming elections are a choice between ideology and the livelihood of the people,” said Rep. Park who also heads the Saenuri Party’s central campaign committee. “Through the elections we have to overcome ideological struggles of the past and start anew.”
Rep. Lee recently gave up her candidacy after being accused of survey rigging during the primaries and mounting reports of an unidentified pro-North Korean group which is backing her to stay in the top post to wield influence within the UPP.
The DUP leadership largely consisting of aides of the late President Roh Moo-hyun has also been the target of the ruling party as they were previously supporters of policies they now oppose.
Against this backdrop, the opposition coalition is stepping up efforts to bring into light President Lee Myung-bak’s failed policies and linking them to Rep. Park.
“The Saenuri Party has started it again as elections near. They should get rid of the same old ideological accusations,” said Han. “Because of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye Korea has turned into a society serving the privileged. Don’t only talk about the livelihoods of the people but take real action.”
Experts say the April elections, which initially worked favorably to the opposition due to people’s growing distrust with the current administration, have changed recently following the ruling party’s attack.
“Opposition parties usually win in elections held at the end of a president’s term. However, the tide has changed this time as economic and security issues such as the KORUS FTA and the Naval base project emerged as key issues. They help the conservatives to collect power,” said Yoon Hee-woong, a senior analyst with the polling agency Korea Society Opinion Institute.
“It will be a tight competition between the Saenuri Party and the DUP to become the majority party at the National Assembly.”
Park Sun-sook, the DUP’s secretary general, said earlier “the party has lost 30 seats in the past three months” failing to take advantage of the favorable atmosphere.
Experts say the key to securing a majority of seats is to win in battlegrounds such as the capital, South Gyeongsang Province and Busan, which have many seats and whose results are up in the air.
Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province have 112 seats, and the experts predict the ruling party to take around 40 seats and the DUP 50 seats.
If the number of winners in the UPP is added, the oppositions will gain a majority in the capital area.
The nation’s southeastern area emerged as a political hot spot after the liberals’ strongest presidential candidate Moon Jae-in announced candidacy in Sasang district, Busan.
Observers say if the DUP is able to secure more than 10 seats on its rival’s home turf it will help the DUP become majority party in 19th National Assembly.
“Whether it’s the Saenuri Party or the DUP they will be able to secure between 130 and 150 seats. The party which crosses the line of 140 seats will likely be the majority party. But I don’t think either party can,” said Yoon.
“The DUP has chance to become the majority power only through the coalition with the UPP.”
Concerning the elections effect on the presidential bid, Yoon said whichever party is able to secure more seats in the legislative body will gain the upper hand as it will have more chance to carry out policies and pass bills that appeal to the people.