Opposition wins South Korean parliamentary elections

The opposition Democratic Party won the parliamentary elections in South Korea for the third time, receiving 175 seats out of 300. Results publishes Central Election Commission of the country.

The liberal-progressive Korea Innovation Party, founded just over a month ago, won 12 seats. President Yoon Suk-yeol’s party, the conservative People’s Power, won 108 seats. Thus, the opposition bloc failed to form a qualified majority of two-thirds of the seats.

If this succeeded, the opposition could amend the Constitution and neutralize the presidential veto. However, even with the seats obtained, the bloc will be able to exert a collective influence on Yun through coordinated legislative actions, writes The Korea Times. The turnout for the elections was 67%, the highest in the last 32 years.

After the defeat of People Power, its leader Han Dong Hoon announcedthat he will resign from the post of party chairman. “I apologize to the people on behalf of our party, which was not good enough to win the popular vote,” Khan said.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Dak-soo and all senior presidential advisers, with the exception of those in charge of security issues, also announced their resignations. It is not yet known whether Yoon Suk Yeol accepted their departure.

Leaders of the victorious opposition bloc promised stop the regression in the country’s affairs and make it move into the future again. They called their victory a verdict on the government of Yun Suk Yeol.

Yun himself said that he would “humbly support” the will of the people and focus on improving the economic situation of citizens and reforming government affairs. His presidential term expires in 2027.