Seoul [South Korea], April 10: On April 10, South Korea began the official election of the 22nd National Assembly, an event that could determine whether President Yoon Suk Yeol's government can advance its agenda or lose its advantage.
Voting begins at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. (local time), with 14,259 ballot boxes across the country. After early voting last week, there are currently 30 million voters eligible to vote on April 10, Yonhap news agency reported.
This year's election attracted great attention from the public, with 31.28% of eligible voters voting on April 5 and April 6, the first time more than 30% of voters voted early for a general election. since Korea applied this method in 2014.
The voting results will determine the names that win 300 seats in the Korean parliament. The opposition Democratic Party (DP) is expected to win more seats than the ruling National Power Party (PPP).
In this parliamentary election, the pressure on the ruling party is often greater, as not holding a majority of seats can cause the policies of President Yoon Suk Yeol 's administration to come to a deadlock in the parliament. In calls for voter support, the PPP expressed that Mr. Yoon's administration has been unable to promote reasonable reform policies over the past two years, due to its failure to find common ground with the opposition-controlled parliament. control. Mr. Yoon's term will end in 2027.
If the opposition parties combine to win more than 200 seats, that would provide a two-thirds majority that could override a presidential veto or possibly impeach the president.
Many surveys conducted since April 4 show that candidates from the DP are ahead of the PPP candidates in many districts, including places considered PPP strongholds, although the margin may be wrong. A notable point is the unexpectedly high support for the Korean Reconstruction Party, newly established in March 2024 led by former Justice Minister Cho Kuk , who was embroiled in scandal and sentenced to prison in 2024. 2023.
Observers pay special attention to the 48 electoral districts in Seoul, which are considered "battlegrounds" that can decide the final result, as data shows that the Korean capital often reflects the overall election results.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper