The ruling Saenuri Party lost its majority in the National Assembly in the April 13 parliamentary elections, shifting the Korean political paradigm from the conventional two-party system to a tripartite party political structure.
The Minju Party of Korea (MPK) has emerged as a first-rank party by securing 123 seats out of the possible total 300, edging the Saenuri Party, which won 122 seats at the just-ended 20th parliamentary race. But the MPK also suffered a route in the Jeolla provinces, the opposition party MPK’s once-traditional political stronghold. The splinter opposition People’s Party, headed by Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, has become the kingmaker in the National Assembly by winning 38 seats. The People’s Party snatched 23 of 28 seats up for grabs in the area from the MPK. The Justice Party got six seats with the remaining seats won by 11 independents.
By constituencies, the MPK grabbed 110 out of 253 seats nationwide, followed by the Saenuri with 105 and the People’s Party with 25. The far-left Justice Party got two seats. By proportional representation, the Saenuri claimed 17 seats, followed by the MPK and People’s Party each with 13 seats. The Justice Party obtained four seats.
The results of the latest parliamentary elections indicate some cracks in Korea’s deep-rooted regionalism.
In the traditionally conservative strongholds of Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongsangnam-do regions, opposition candidates claimed 11 seats. Two opposition contenders garnered wins in Daegu, the heart of President Park Geun-hye and the ruling party’s stronghold. In particular, the lawmaker-elect Kim Boo-gyum of the MPK crushed ex-Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Moon-soo, a presidential hopeful.
Jeolla provinces, the opposition’s strongholds, gave way to two conservative candidates from the Saenuri Party lawmaker-elect Chung Woon-chun and Rep. Lee Jung-hyun. Lee will be the first third-term conservative elected in the region.
Political pundits say it is too soon to say that the election outcomes show signs of a decline in the nation’s regionalism.
The outcomes of the parliamentary polls have also indicated the rise and fall of presidential hopefuls. They indicate the demise of such prospective presidential contenders as ex-Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Moon-soo and former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was defeated by Rep. Chung Se-kyun of the MPK in the Jongno electoral district race. They also show the rise of such presidential hopefuls as Rep. Ahn, co-chairman of the People's Party, who was elected in a Nowon-gu electoral district of Seoul.
People’s Party Co-Chairman Ahn received a hero’s welcome as he visited Gwangju for the first time after his undergo party’s better-than-expected victory in the parliamentary polls on April 17. Ahn was victorious in the polls not long after his party split from the MPK. Ahn has gained ground in his political influence with the party now playing a “deciding vote” between the two major parties the Saenuri Party and the major opposition MPK.
Kwangju and other Jeolla areas will continue as a focal point in the run-up to the 2017 presidential election with both the MPK and the People's Party scrambling to woo voters from the tradition opposition stronghold.
"We are determined to change the government. Voters have given us an opportunity with their overwhelming support," Co-Chairman Ahn said after paying homage to the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju.
"We'll lead the National Assembly rather than remaining as a casting voter," he said, indicating the possibility that the tripartite party system will change in the parliament, which has come under fire for severe partisan confrontation.
Ahn laid out his case against the possibility of forming an alliance with the MPK for the 2017 presidential race. “It would be rude to the public if we only care about our political interests. The priority is showing a productive party mechanism in the Assembly,” he said.
President Park on Revitalizing National Economy and Making Structural Reforms
President Park told her senior secretaries’ meeting on April 18 that the government should continue to push to turn around the national economy and make structural reforms.
Alluding to the outcomes of the parliamentary elections for the 20th National Assembly, President Park said she humbly accepts the will of people in prioritizing their livelihoods, and will make all-out efforts to focus on the economic development of the nation, complete her three-year economic reform plan, and closely cooperation with the National Assembly that makes a new start, Cheong Wa Dae said.
President Park said the nation is now facing with such outside and inside hardships as the sagging global economy and North Korea’s provocations. She expressed hope that reforms to change the fundamentals of the national economy will be pushed without interruptions for the future of the nation.
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