| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Kuk Hoe / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
11 April 2012 |
| Purpose of elections |
The April 2012 parliamentary elections were the second and the last to be held under President Lee Myung-bak, whose term will end in December 2012. In February, the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) renamed itself as the Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party), under the leadership of Ms. Park Geun-hye - daughter of former president Park Chung-hee. Later the same month, the outgoing National Assembly adopted amendments to the Electoral Law, increasing the statutory number of members from 299 to 300.
The Saenuri Party, which had pledged to improve welfare programmes, narrowly won the elections, taking 152 seats, 25 more than its main rival, the Democratic United Party (DUP). The DUP, led by former prime minister, Ms. Han Myeong-sook, had criticized the government about rising prices and pledged to re-negotiate a free trade agreement with the United States (KORUS FTA), which came into force on 15 March 2012. |
Date of previous elections: 9 April 2008
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: April 2016
Number of seats at stake: 300 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 1,090 (902 under the majority system and 188 under the proportional representation system; 948 men and 142 women)
Percentage of women candidates: 13% (142 of 1,090*)
(*63, or 7%, under the majority system and 79, or 42%, under the proportional representation system)
Number of parties contesting the election: 20
Number of parties winning seats: 4
Alternation of power: No
Number of parties in government: 1
Names of parties in government: Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 30 May 2012
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Kang, Chang-hee (Saenuri Party) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 11 April 2012 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
40'205'055
21'815'420 (54.26%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
Majority (%) |
PR (%) |
| Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party) |
|
|
|
|
|
43.28 |
42.80 |
| Democratic United Party (DUP) |
|
|
|
|
|
37.85 |
36.45 |
| United Progressive |
|
|
|
|
|
5.99 |
10.30 |
| Liberty Forward Party (LFP) |
|
|
|
|
|
2.20 |
3.23 |
| Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
9.35 |
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Majority |
PR |
|
|
| Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party) |
152
|
127 |
25 |
|
|
| Democratic United Party (DUP) |
127
|
106 |
21 |
|
|
| United Progressive |
13
|
7 |
6 |
|
|
| Liberty Forward Party (LFP) |
5
|
3 |
2 |
|
|
| Independents |
3
|
3 |
0 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
253
47
15.67%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
National Assembly (27.04.2012)
National Election Commission (23.05.2012, 10.10.2014)
http://www.nec.go.kr |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
