South Korea’s liberal opposition party, the Democratic Party (DPK), has secured a sweeping victory in the country’s general election, maintaining control of the parliament with a landslide majority. Together with smaller opposition factions, they have clinched 192 out of 300 seats in the National Assembly.
This election outcome is widely interpreted as a mid-term appraisal of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s leadership, as he still has three years remaining in his term. The leader of his party, Han Dong-hoon, has resigned, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has tendered his resignation as well.
The defeat for President Yoon and his People Power Party (PPP) is resounding, given their struggle to advance their agenda in a legislature dominated by the DPK. With the DPK’s victory, they now have the leverage to expedite and advance legislation through parliament.
Both the DPK and PPP have utilized satellite parties to maximize their electoral advantage within South Korea’s electoral system, which allocates seats to smaller parties based on their overall support.
DPK leader Lee Jae-myung declared the victory as “a triumph for the people,” emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation to address the current economic challenges. He pledged that the DPK would take the lead in resolving the livelihood crisis.
Today’s election results may embolden Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to President Yoon, to consider another presidential bid. President Yoon faces mounting pressure to tackle various issues, including surging food prices, an aging population, and ongoing doctors’ strikes.
Criticism against President Yoon has escalated recently, particularly regarding his perceived disconnect with the impact of inflation on ordinary citizens. His comments during a visit to a Seoul supermarket, where he deemed the price of green onions as “reasonable,” drew significant backlash. The subsequent revelation that the onions were discounted due to subsidies exacerbated the criticism, with green onions becoming symbolic props at farmers’ protests and DPK election rallies.
Furthermore, allegations of corruption and abuse of power have tarnished the image of President Yoon’s party, with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, being implicated in a controversy involving a luxury bag gift. The DPK has also faced its own share of political controversies and internal struggles, along with corruption allegations.