South Korean legislative election, 2008

Infobox Election
election_name = South Korean legislative election, 2008
country = South Korea
type = legislative
ongoing = no
previous_election = South Korean legislative election, 2004
previous_year = 2004
next_election =
next_year = Next
seats_for_election = All 299 seats to the National Assembly of South Korea
election_date = April 9, 2008

leader1 = Kang Jae-seop
party1 = Grand National Party
leaders_seat1 = Seo-gu
last_election1 = 412 seats, 40.7%
seats1 = 153
seat_change1 = +32
popular_vote1 = 6,421,654
percentage1 = 37.4%
swing1 = +1.6%

leader2 = Son Hak-Gyu
party2 = United Democratic Party (Republic of Korea)
leaders_seat2 = Jongno-gu
last_election2 = -
seats2 = 81
seat_change2 = -80
popular_vote2 = 4,313,111
percentage2 = 25.1%
swing2 = –20.3%

leader3 = Lee Hoi-chang
party3 = Liberty Forward Party
leaders_seat3 = Hongseong
last_election3 = -
seats3 = 18
seat_change3 = +18
popular_vote3 = 1,173,463
percentage3 = 6.8%
swing3 = -

map_

map_size = 200px
map_caption = provinces and cities majority won by
GNP (blue), UDP (red), and LFP (yellow)
title =

Legislative elections were held in South Korea on April 9, 2008. [ [http://www.mherrera.org/elections.htm Electoral Calendar- world elections,US elections,presidential election,world parties ] ] The conservative Grand National Party won 153 of 299 seats while the main opposition United Democratic Party won 81 seats. [ [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200804/200804100011.html Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea ] ] This election marked the lowest-ever voter turnout of 46.0%. [ [http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/281027.html Political apathy leads to record-low voter turnout] , The Hankyoreh, Retrieved on April 10, 2008]

Parties and Coalitions

As of April 9 2008, there are six political parties represented in the 18th National Assembly of South Korea, in addition to independents:

* Grand National Party (한나라당, "Hannara-dang"), led by Kang Jae-seop. The current major conservative party within the National Assembly. (153 seats won)

* United Democratic Party (통합민주당, "Tongham Minju-dang"), led by Son Hak-gyu. The current major liberal party within the National Assembly. (81 seats won)
**United Democratic Party is now known as Democratic Party (민주당 "Minju-dang").
* Liberty Forward Party (자유선진당, "Jayu Seonjin-dang"), led by Lee Hoi-chang. The Chungcheong Region-strongholder and current second conservative party within the National Assembly against the GNP. (18 seats won)
* Pro-Park Geun-hye Coalition (친박연대, "Chin-bak Yeon-dae"), led by Seo Cheong-won, although, their inspirational leader is Park Geun-hye, former leader of GNP. A conservative coalition with Park Geun-hye within the National Assembly that broke apart from the GNP, due to their recent dispute on the GNP's candidate nomination which happened just before the election. (14 seats won)
* Democratic Labour Party (민주노동당, "Minju Nodong-dang"), led by Chun Young-se. A minor but the most progressive party within the 18th National Assembly, against both the Grand Nationals and Democrats. (5 seats won)
* Renewal of Korea Party (창조한국당, "Changjo Hanguk-dang"), led by Moon Kook-hyun. A minor but pro-environmental liberal party within the National Assembly, against the Grand Nationals. (3 seats won)

* (no seats) The New Progressive Party (진보신당) "Jinbo Shin-dang"), led by Sim Sang-jeong and Roh Hoe-chan, won 2.94% votes but not enough to gain any seats. The New Progressive Party split from the Democratic Labour Party as a reaction to nationalism after the 2007 presidential elections.

Results

The national summary of votes and seats by party follow:

Result by region

election-table|Region!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|GNP!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|UDP!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|LFP!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|PGH-C!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|DLP!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|ROKP!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Independent!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Total
-
Seoul
40
7
-
-
-
1
-
48
-
Busan
11
1
-
1
-
-
5
18
-
Incheon
9
2
-
-
-
-
1
12
-
Daegu
8
-
-
3
-
-
1
12
-
Gwangju
-
7
-
-
-
-
1
8
-
Daejeon
-
1
5
-
-
-
-
6
-
Ulsan
5
-
-
-
-
-
1
6
-
Gangwon
3
2
-
-
-
-
3
8
-
Gyeonggi
32
17
-
1
-
-
1
51
-
South Gyeongsang
13
1
-
-
2
-
1
17
-
North Gyeongsang
9
-
-
1
-
-
5
15
-
South Jeolla
-
9
-
-
-
-
3
12
-
North Jeolla
-
9
-
-
-
-
2
11
-
South Chungcheong
-
1
8
-
-
-
1
10
-
North Chungcheong
1
6
1
-
-
-
-
8
-
Jeju
-
3
-
-
-
-
-
3
-
Proportional
representation
22
15
4
8
3
2
-
54
-!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Total!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|153 !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|81 !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|18 !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|14 !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|5!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|3!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|25!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|299

References