Liberals to Make Big Gains in S. Korea Election

by WashPost

Thu, Apr 15, 2004 9:24AM

SEOUL, April 15 -- In their sharpest shift to the political left in four decades, South Korean voters on Thursday appeared to hand an overwhelming victory in legislative elections to the Uri Party, whose leadership advocates rapprochement with North Korea and greater independence from Seoul's traditional ally, the United States.

In a battle that pitted liberal voters in their 20s and 30s against the conservative older generations, a "revolution of the young" was set to transform the now-small Uri Party -- allied with impeached President Roh Moon Hyun -- into the nation's largest political force.

According to South Korean media projections based on ballot counting, the Uri Party was poised to more than triple its representation in the 299-seat National Assembly to at least 150 seats, taking majority control away from the establishment-dominated Grand National Party, which won an estimated 103 seats. It would mark South Korea's first freely elected, liberal-dominated legislature since the 1961 coup that brought this nation's long time military dictator, Park Chung Hee, to power.

Read More
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14444-2004Apr15.html

Add Your Comments

Support Independent Media

We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!