South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a crucial test in a parliamentary election that could determine his political future and the fate of his agenda.
People wait in line to cast their votes for the parliamentary election at a polling station in Ulsan, South Korea on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. South Korea n President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a crucial referendum Wednesday in a parliamentary election that could determine whether he becomes a lame duck or enjoys a mandate to pursue key policies for his remaining three years in office.
Since taking office in 2022 for a single five-year term, Yoon, a former top prosecutor, has been grappling with low approval ratings and a liberal opposition-controlled parliament that has limited his major policy platforms. Of the 300 seats, 254 will be elected through direct votes in local districts, and the other 46 to the parties according to their proportion of the vote. Election observers say candidates in about 50 to 55 local districts are in neck-and-neck races.
Lee, now the chairman of the opposition Democratic Party, is a harsh critic of Yoon’s policies and is eying another presidential bid. He faces an array of corruption investigations that he argues are politically motivated and pushed by Yoon’s government. During one of his final campaign events on Tuesday, Han argued that giving too many seats to Lee’s Democratic Party will throw South Korea into political turmoil. “Tomorrow’s 12 hours will determine whether the Republic of Korea will plunge into shocking chaos and despair or overcome a crisis,” Han said, using South Korea’s official name.
“That would cause a political deadlock for the Republic of Korea for the next three years, as both the ruling and opposition parties can’t pursue things unilaterally and won’t likely make terms with each other,” Chung said.
South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol Parliamentary Election Political Future Agenda
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