Voters want to see change in politics

Voters line up to cast their ballots in the general election at a polling station set up in Seoul Jaedong Elementary School, central Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap

By Kim Se-jeong, Jung Min-ho, Kim Bo-eun

People cast their ballots to pick members of the 300-seat National Assembly, Wednesday ― their feelings mixed with hopes for change and a deep-seated distrust in politics.

Many voters expressed hopes that their votes would help change politics and society.

Shin Chul-soo, 61, who owns a butcher shop in Mapo, Seoul, said he voted for the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) with the hope that it will bring about the change the nation needs.

“I know the party will not change everything completely. I know it can’t. As soon as an opposition party gets power, it becomes the same as the ruling party. But I still cherish the power shift.”

Park, 42, an employee at a high school in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, voted for the People’s Party because of his deep disappointment with the two major parties.

“The two parties have long dominated the country’s political arena but have failed to bring what voters want. They pretend to blame each other, but I think they just like the way politics works in Korea because I can’t see much difference between them. If elected, they will continue to fail voters,” Park said.

A 62-year-old public servant, surnamed Jung, said he had voted for conservative parties for his entire life but this time went with the minor opposition Justice Party.

“It pledged to raise the minimum wage to 10,000 won by 2019. I support the party’s policy and its relatively clean image in Korea’s dirty politics,” he said.

Many others urged politicians to serve the people, not work for their own interests.

“Korea is festering over so many issues. It’s time to set aside political differences and actually work for the people that the lawmakers claim they stand for. I truly believe that fighting and slandering opponents is not real politics,” said Kim Min-young, 27, a graduate student from Seoul.

Yoon, a 46-year-old office worker, said, “I wish politicians would drop their sense of entitlement and just work for the people’s livelihood. I’m fed up with politicians fighting with each other for their own interests, abandoning their true duty.”

Although voter turnout was among the highest in recent years, those who cast ballots still showed a strong distrust and indifference to politics.

Kim Han-bo, 53, from Jongno in Seoul, said, “I don’t have that much interest in the candidates, because I think politicians all seem similar. Their promises are also not much different.”

He expected nothing will change with the election.

“There’s no hope that the result of the election will change the current problems with society. I just hope that the lawmakers-elect will lead my district well without any big trouble.”

Kim added he picked a candidate from the ruling Saenury Party because he may be able to take advantage of the party’s existing power.

Kim Min-su, 31, from Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, also voted for a conservative candidate. “I voted for the candidate, not because I liked him but because there was no other suitable options.”

Regionalism once again prevailed in the latest election as many people voted for those who they think will work for their hometowns.

Jin Seok-ki, 73, a resident in Mokdong, Seoul, said he voted for a candidate from the People’s Party which is seeking control of the Jeolla provinces.

He said his hometown is South Jeolla Province and he chose the People’s Party because the main opposition MPK has not represented the southwestern provinces properly.

Kim Eun-ja, 53, a housewife in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, said she voted for the ruling party as she supports President Park Geun-hye.

“I want President Park and the Saenuri Party to govern the nation in a more stable manner. To do so, she and her party need a majority of the seats for legislative activities to boost the economy and strengthen national security,” she said.

Korea Times interns, Lee Han-soo, Kim Da-hee and Lee Jin-a contributed to this article.