The good news for Korean President Lee Myung-bak continues as his political party has secured a massive win in the recent national assembly elections:
South Korea’s ruling party is forecast to win a majority in general elections Wednesday, bolstering conservative President Lee Myung-bak’s bid to carry out sweeping economic reforms and get tougher on nuclear-armed North Korea, exit polls showed.
According to exit polls by broadcasters KBS and MBC, the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) is expected to secure between 154 and 178 seats in the 299-seat unicameral National Assembly, while the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) is forecast to garner between 67 and 89 seats.
?? A separate prediction by SBS television put the number of seats to be won by the GNP at between 162 and 181, compared with 68 to 85 seats for the UDP, while cable television broadcaster YTN forecast the ruling party would capture between 160 and 184 seats. [Yonhap]
This is a huge win for Lee which could be even bigger if his party secures a 170 seats which would mean they can push through the national assembly Lee’s canal idea, which is sure to displease North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il.
Of course Andy Jackson has been live blogging the election at the Marmot’s Hole.
10:21 am on April 11th, 2008 1
Here is an easy prediction:
expect to see a lot more You Tube videos of South Korean politicians scrumming in the National Assembly chamber the next couple of years as opposition politics turns from swaying votes on the floor toward the typical “you can’t pass a bill if you don’t have the gavel” king of the hill (or king of the podium – in this case) freak show.
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