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Election Date: April 15, 2004

At Stake: National Assembly

Background

South Korean voters renewed the National Assembly on Apr. 15, in a time of uncertainty for president Roh Moo-hyun. A long-time political activist jailed briefly during the 1987 pro-democracy demonstrations, Roh was elected in December 2002. His term was tarnished by a judicial investigation into the behaviour of personal aide Choi Do-sool, who allegedly accepted an illegal campaign contribution of almost $1 million U.S. from private firm SK Group.

South Korean prosecutors indicted eight people—government aides and donors alike—for their roles in the unlawful fundraising schemes. Roh is not a subject of the on-going investigation, and vowed to offer no comment on the matter until the probe is completed.

The Asian nation has a long history of political malfeasance, culminating in the "Slush Fund Scandal", which led to the imprisonment of former presidents Roh Tae-Woo and Chun Doo-Hwan.

Before his first year in office was over, Roh lost the support of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP). A small segment of 42 former MDP lawmakers decided to stand by the president under the banner of the Uri Party. The election of leader Chung Dong-young boosted the party's chances in the assembly ballot. The opposition Grand National Party (GNP) was a close second to Uri, according to voting intention polls conducted in February.

In 2003, Roh considered calling a referendum on his tenure, but the idea never materialized. There was speculation about holding that particular vote on the same day as the parliamentary election, but the president finally decided against it.

On Mar. 3, the South Korean National Election Commission (NEC) sent a letter to Roh urging him to remain "politically neutral" before the parliamentary vote. The incident marked the first time a South Korean president was warned for violating electoral laws, which call for civil servants to remain disengaged.

Roh's infringement occurred when he declared in a February news conference that he "would like to do everything legal if it could help the Uri Party win votes."

On Mar. 9, the GNP and the MDP submitted the first presidential impeachment motion in the country's history, seeking to unseat Roh after his comments regarding the Uri Party. The proposal was approved for debate by 159 lawmakers, more than the 137 required by law for such a procedure. In order to impeach the president, the eventual vote would require the support of 183 legislators. GNP floor leader Hong Sa-duk stated that even if the procedure failed, the action would serve as a "stern warning" for Roh.

On Mar. 11, the National Assembly session was suspended after lawmakers loyal to the president surrounded the podium and the speaker's chair, literally blocking the impeachment vote. The opposition parties claimed to have the support of enough lawmakers to impeach the president. In a televised news conference, Roh offered to step down if the Uri Party fared "badly" in the parliamentary ballot.

On Mar. 12, after Uri Party lawmakers were physically removed from the assembly hall, the vote finally took place. A total of 193 legislators agreed to initiate impeachment procedures against Roh. Prime minister Goh Kun took over as interim president for a period of up to six months. The matter was turned over to the country's Constitutional Court, where six of the existing nine judges had to rule against the president. The decision does not entail any criminal transgression.

Polls released after Roh's impeachment showed a surge in support for Uri. A March TN Sofres/SBS survey placed voting intention for the party at 53.8 per cent, and a study by MBC gave Uri 44.4 per cent of the vote. Other surveys published in Dong-a Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo, Munhwa Ilbo and Hankuk Ilbo suggested a victory for the pro-government political organization.

On Mar. 23, Park Geun-hye was elected as the new GNP leader, with more than half of all cast ballots. The daughter of former president Park Chung-hee led the party during the parliamentary election.

On Apr. 7, North Korea's government urged South Koreans to vote against "pro-United States conservative forces parties such as the GNP and the MDP," in what was regarded as a veiled endorsement of the Uri Party by Pyongyang.

On Apr. 8, Uri chairman Chung said he would be willing to meet with GNP leader Park after the elections, to discuss "solutions to economic difficulties and the withdrawal of the impeachment motion" against Roh. Park declined to comment on a possible get-together with Chung, and claimed his comments were made to take attention away from some disparaging remarks about senior citizens.

On Apr. 12, Chung quit his post as election chairman and withdrew his name from the list of eligible candidates. The decision was linked to his controversial comments about how older voters should "rest at home" on election day. Chung—who remains as Uri's chairman—meant to motivate young voters to head to the voting booths, but his remarks caused a stir within party ranks. Five Uri candidates openly requested Chung be barred from political life.

Voting went on without any major problems on Apr. 15. Final figures released by the NEC put the Uri Party in control of 152 assembly seats—a slim majority—with the GNP in second place with 121. The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) became South Korea's third political force with 10 lawmakers in the Assembly, followed by the MDP with nine.

Turnout was established at close to 59.9 per cent, up from 57.2 per cent in the 2000 National Assembly election.

On May 13, the Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment, effectively reinstating Roh as South Korea's president.

On Jun. 8, Roh nominated Lee Hai-chan for prime minister. Lee—a member of the Uri Party—officially took over the post on Jun. 30, after winning a 200-84 vote in the National Assembly.

Political Players

President: Roh Moo-hyun
Prime minister: Lee Hai-chan - Uri

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote. Roh was temporarily suspended due to impeachment procedures from Mar. 12 to May 13, 2004.

Legislative Branch: The Kuk Hoe (National Assembly) has 299 members, elected to four-year terms; 243 members are elected in single-seat constituencies and 56 members are elected by proportional representation.

Results of Last Election:

President - Dec. 19, 2002

National Assembly - Apr. 15, 2004

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