http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200804/200804100011.htmlGNP Scrapes Parliamentary Victory
The Grand National Party won a slim majority in the general elections on Wednesday. As of 2 a.m. Thursday, the GNP had won 131 of 245 seats selected by direct ballot. The United Democratic Party won 66 seats and the Liberty Forward Party 14. Six seats were secured by the “Pro-Park Coalition”, a group of supporters of former GNP chairwoman Park Geun-hye who failed to win party nominations and defected. The Democratic Labor Party gained two seats.
Of the remaining 54 seats to be allotted according to the proportional representation system, the GNP takes 22 seats, the UDP 15, the LFP four, the Pro-Park Coalition eight, the DLP three and the Renewal of Korea Party two seats.
Based on these estimations, the GNP secures altogether 153 of 299 seats, the UDP 81, the LFP 18 seats, the “Pro-Park Coalition” 14, the DLP five seats and the RKP three.
With that, the GNP has a slim majority in parliament, but the government of President Lee Myung-bak faces some limitations. Fifty-four candidates supporting Park were elected -- 33 within the GNP, and the remaining 21 independents or with the “Coalition.” Park’s faction will thus form a third force within the party and parliament to keep Lee’s government in check.
