The vote count for the 22nd National Assembly election was completed on April 11, with the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea and its satellite parties, winning 175 seats and the ruling People's Power Party winning 108 seats among the country's 254 constituencies. The Democratic Party's landslide victory in this election is likely to affect the future administration of President Yoon Suk-yeol. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said that he would humbly accept public opinion and carry out governance reforms.
South Korea's ruling party lost the National Assembly, and many senior officials such as the prime minister resigned
According to the South Korean President's Office, Prime Minister Han Deok-so verbally expressed his resignation to President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 11th.
In addition, all the staff members of the presidential office at or above the level of first secretary except for the National Security Office expressed their resignations on the same day, including Lee Kwan-sub, director of the presidential secretary's office, Cheng Tae-yin, director of the policy office, Lee Do-yun, first secretary of the communiqué, and Han Wu-sup, chief secretary of political affairs. Han Dong-hoon, the interim leader of the ruling People's Power Party, also resigned.
As for the exit polls showing that the party has failed miserably, Han Dongxun said he is frustrated.
Interim leader of the Korean National Power Party Han Dong-hoon:
We have done our best to govern according to the will of the people, but I am disappointed by the exit polls.
Lee Kwan-sop, head of the South Korean Presidential Secretariat, who has verbally resigned, said at a press conference that President Yoon Suk-yeol said that he would humbly accept the will of the people, promised to reform national affairs, and did his best to stabilize the economy and people's livelihood.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and party members watched the election poll results announced by the three major television stations on the evening of the 10th.
After being elected as a member of the Incheon Gyeyang District B Council, Lee Jae-myung said that he would continue to monitor the election results with humility. He pointed out that the voters' choice of him is tantamount to a trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration, and it is also a heavy responsibility entrusted to the Democratic Party of Korea and himself to improve people's livelihood and build a better society, and will do everything in their power to prevent the regression of governance.
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration fears becoming a "lame duck" with no hope of seizing control of the National Assembly
As the defeat was revealed, the leadership of the National Power Party left the venue before the vote count was over.
The turnout in the current South Korean parliamentarian election was the highest in 32 years, at 67%. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) won a majority of seats, which means that the National Power cannot regain its position as the largest party in the National Assembly, and the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is at a disadvantage in the political landscape due to the strong checks and balances of the National Assembly.
Some analysts have pointed out that if members of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPK) hold important positions such as the speaker of the National Assembly in the future, they will be able to lead the handling of bills and budgets, and will also have an absolute say in the appointment or impeachment of important positions such as the prime minister and the Supreme Court judges.
In addition, opposition parties such as the "Fatherland Reform Party" founded by former Justice Minister Cho Guo have more than 180 seats, or three-fifths of the total 300 seats in the National Assembly. The victory of the Democratic Party of Korea also paved the way for local elections in two years and presidential elections in three years.
Source: Phoenix Satellite TV Information Channel
Editor: Mu Mu