By Cho Jae-hyon
Voters across the nation were largely split between people preferring stability to change and those using the parliamentary elections to judge the Lee Myung-bak administration.
As expected the outcome of the elections was neck-and-neck as voters didn’t give an outright majority to either the ruling Saenuri Party or the largest opposition Democratic United Party.
The Korea Times sent a group of reporters to polling stations for the National Assembly elections Wednesday to take the pulse of a nation that appeared suspended in a sense of ambivalence.
Voters’ wishes proved to be different by age, occupation, gender and other factors.
“The reason I vote for the ruling Saenuri Party is that there is no better alternative,” said Yu Eun-joo, a 51-year-old housewife, after casting her vote in upscale Seocho, southern Seoul.
Park Gwang-won, a college student, said, “As a student, the cost for my education is the biggest burden. I would like to vote for someone who has the will to resolve that issue.”
Lee Soo-young, a 31-year-old IT worker, said, “One of the problems that I would like to mention about the ruling Saenuri Party is that our freedom of speech has degenerated since it took over the majority of seats in the Assembly.”
Meanwhile, even a voter who would have been taken for a conservative, talked about change.
“I came here with a thirst for a change,” Shin Eun-soon, a 60-year-old businessman, said. “The problems that the current ruling party has are too many to pinpoint just one or two. I want ethical candidates to get elected this time.”
Some used their votes to reject the current government.
“I think this voting is a judgment of the current government,” said Yun Cheol-ho, a 31-year-old office worker at the Apgujeong High School polling station in Gangnam, southern Seoul. “I voted for the opposition party because I believe there should be a change.”
Min Sang-chul, a 28-year-old graduate school student, also said, “I believe that the Lee Myung-bak administration must be judged for their illegal and immoral politics.” Min said the government should be held responsible for its failure to revive the economy.
“I think that the most important issue is our national security. If there is no Republic of Korea, there is nothing. I believe the national interest and security should always come first ahead of any issue, said Kim Sun-ja, a 62-year-old housewife.
“I voted for Saenuri Party and its candidate obviously. If the opposition wins there will be no way that the country will be run effectively,” said 58-year-old retiree Kim Sang-il.
“The government seems not interested in the hardship we are facing now such as high college tuition fees and a tough job market,” said 26-year-old Park Ji-young.
The polling station in Gyeongun-dong, Jongno-gu, central Seoul, was already bustling with streams of voters.
“I cast my vote to voice my criticism of the Lee administration,” said 51-year-old Park Jae-yong.
“I think the young generation criticizes without any alternatives,” said 46-year-old Shim Kwan-sub, a voter in Jung-gu, downtown Seoul. “It seems that young people just need someone to blame. That kind of resentment is not helping the government’s stability.”
The economy was a hot issue among voters.
“The economy should be boosted,” said a housewife in her 40s.
A real estate agent who cast a ballot in Gumho-dong, western Seoul, said, “Since I am a real estate agent, I voted for a candidate who can revive the property market. It has been very difficult to make a living because of the depressed market.”
A Hankuk University of Foreign Studies student said, “I chose a political party that would ease the burden of college fees rather than a specific candidate.”
chojh@koreatimes.co.kr