South Korean presidential election, 2007

Infobox Election
election_name = Republic of Korea
presidential election, 2007
country = Republic of Korea
type = presidential
ongoing = no
previous_election = South Korean presidential election, 2002
previous_year = 2002
next_election =
next_year = 2012
election_date = December 19, 2007


nominee1 = Lee Myung-bak
party1 = Grand National Party
popular_vote1 = 11,492,389
percentage1 = 48.7%


nominee2 = Chung Dong-young
party2 = United New Democratic Party
popular_vote2 = 6,174,681
percentage2 = 26.1%


nominee3 = Lee Hoi-chang
party3 = Independent (politician)
popular_vote3 = 3,559,963
percentage3 = 15.1%
title=President
before_election=Roh Moo-hyun
before_party=United New Democratic Party
after_election=Lee Myung-bak
after_party = Grand National PartyThe 17th South Korean presidential election took place on December 19, 2007. [ [http://www.nec.go.kr/upload/data/1168819464264_Pms_20071219.hwp Schedule of 17th presidential election] (Hangul 2002 format)] The election was won by Lee Myung-bak of the Grand National Party, returning conservatives to the Blue House for the first time in ten years. Lee defeated United New Democratic Party candidate Chung Dong-young and independent candidate Lee Hoi-chang by the largest margin since direct elections were reintroduced in 1987. [ [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200712/200712200003.html Lee Myung-bak Elected President by a Landslide] , The Chosun Ilbo, December 19, 2007. Retrieved on December 20, 2007.] It also marks the first time a president-elect in Korea will be under investigation by a prosecutor. [ [http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/12/117_15821.html President-Elect Faces Probe] , The Korea Times, December 19, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.] Voter turnout was 62.9%, an all-time low according to the National Election Commission. [ cite news
last= Kim
first= Ji-hyun
url= http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2007/12/19/200712190056.asp
title= Lee Myung-bak cruises to landslide victory
publisher= The Korea Herald
date= 2007.12.19
accessdate= ]

Official candidates

Timeline

This list of dates are the major events managed by the NEC (National Election Commission). [ [http://www.nec.go.kr/president/president01.html Timeline (detailed) of 2007 presidential election] (Korean), the NEC, 2007]
* February 28, 2007 - The official census is published, for the purpose of finding eligible voters
* April 23, 2007 - Beginning of pre registration of candidates.
* November 21 to November 25, 2007 - The NEC compiles and publishes the electoral rolls.
* November 25 and November 26, 2007 - Official period to register as a presidential candidate.
* December 12 - Electoral rolls finalized
* December 13 and December 14, 2007 - Absentee voting
* December 19 (from 06:00-18:00 KST) - Polling held
* December 20 - Votes are counted and results are announced

Pro-government primaries

On this election, there were three liberal parties contested.

=UNDP primary=

Chung Dong-young was elected as the official candidate of the party on October 14, 2007.

Creative Korea Party primary

* Moon Kook-hyun (문국현), former CEO of [http://www.yuhan-kimberly.co.kr Yuhan Kimberly] (Kimberly-Clark's company in Korea), was elected as the official presidential candidate of the party on November 4, 2007.

Democrats primary

* Rule of presidential primary: the official result of this party's primary will combining the members' vote (50%), civil delegates (35%), and the result of popularity polls (15%) that conducted by phone on October 14, 2007. [ [http://www.minjoo.or.kr/board/notice_read.html?board_id=al_notice&page=1&uid=27264&thread=A The method of 2007 presidential primary] , the executives' committee of Democratic Party. Retrieved on August 29, 2007]
* Candidates
Lee In-je was elected as the official presidential candidate of the party.

=Conservative (GNP) primary=

The official result was announced on August 20, 2007, at 07:20 GMT, naming Lee Myung-bak the presidential candidate from the Hannara party. [ [http://news.joins.com/article/2857685.html?ctg=1000 Lee Myeong-bak beats Park Geun-hye with a narrow margin] (Korean), Joongang Daily. Retrieved on August 20, 2007.]
* Lee Myung-bak (이명박) 81,084 votes (49.56%)
* Won Hee-ryong (원희룡) 2,398 votes (1.47%)
* Park Geun-hye (박근혜) 78,632 votes (48.06%)
* Hong Jun-pyo (홍준표) 1,503 votes (0.91%)
* Go Jin-hwa (고진화) retractedOne of the major conservative candidate, Lee Hoi-chang was announced his candidacy on November 7, 2007, as an independent.

Progressive (DLP) primary

Voting method

* Online voting: All members of this party can log on to the official homepage to cast their vote. Confirmation process by cell phone is needed.
* Off-line voting: There are 227 voting stations around the nation. Voters can cast their vote from 09:00 to 22:00 (Considering more than 70% of the members' convenience, which are regular salaried-class people).
* Number of party members who can cast their vote: 50,117. [ [http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/assembly/230768.html First round of results from 3 division will be the dividing point] (Korean), The Hankyoreh. Retrieved on August 22, 2007.]

Candidates

1st round

The official results of the first round, as announced on September 9, 2007, at 07:30 GMT, were:
*Shim Sang-jeong (심상정) 10,064 votes (26.08%)
*Roh Hoe-chan (노회찬) 9,478 votes (24.56%)
*Kwon Young-ghil (권영길) 19,053 votes (49.37%)No candidate received a majority of the votes, so a second round of the presidential primary was scheduled from September 10 to September 15. [ [http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000709322&PAGE_CD=N0000&BLCK_NO=3&CMPT_CD=M0001&NEW_GB= Kwon Young-ghil hasn't succeed to gain more than 50% of the vote] (Korean), Ohmynews. Retrieved on September 9, 2007.]

Final (2nd) round

*Shim Sang-jeong (심상정) 17,122 votes (47.26%)
*Kwon Young-ghil (권영길) 19,109 votes (52.74%)As a result, the official presidential candidate of Democratic Labour Party: Kwon Young-ghil.

Exit polls

The following joint exit poll was announced by KBS and MBC. [ [http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2007/12/19/200712190056.asp Lee Myung-bak cruises to landslide victory] The Korea Herald, 17 December 2007]
* Lee Myung-bak - 50.3%
* Chung Dong-young - 26.0%
* Lee Hoi-chang - 13.5%

Final result

References

External links

* [http://www.nec.go.kr/english/index.html Official Homepage of the National Election Commission] en icon
* [http://www.nec.go.kr Official Homepage of the NEC] ko icon
* [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200711/200711270013.html Offical list of candidates] Chosunilbo, 27 November 2007
* [http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2007/12/220_15193.html Candidate profiles] The Korea Times, 9 December 2007