{"id":2107,"date":"2024-04-10T08:44:06","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T08:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2107"},"modified":"2024-04-10T08:44:06","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T08:44:06","slug":"south-korea-holds-parliamentary-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2107","title":{"rendered":"South Korea holds parliamentary elections"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Voters in South Korea are casting their ballots Wednesday in an election that could determine control of the country\u2019s parliament.<\/p>\n

The opposition Democratic Party is expected to maintain their majority in the 300-seat National Assembly, where they have blocked much of the agenda of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol and his People Power Party. A win of 200 seats could give the opposition enough votes to override Yoon\u2019s veto.<\/p>\n

The campaign has been a repeat of the bitter 2022 presidential campaign between Yoon and his liberal rival Democratic Party chief Lee Jae-myung, with Yoon emerging victorious by a narrow margin.<\/p>\n

Plagued by low approval ratings since taking office in 2022, President Yoon is dealing with a doctor\u2019s strike over his government\u2019s proposal to increase the number of medical students from 3,000 to 5,000 by next year to adequately provide health care to South Korea\u2019s rapidly aging population.<\/p>\n

Lee, who was seriously injured in a stabbing attack in January, has portrayed President Yoon and his party as a failed government, while the People Power Party has highlighted Lee\u2019s indictment on allegations of corruption, charges Lee says are politically motivated.<\/p>\n

Misconduct allegations are also overshadowing Yoon and former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, the head of the new Rebuilding Korea party. Yoon\u2019s wife, Kim Keon Hee, has been accused of breaking the law by accepting a luxury handbag bag as a gift, while Cho is on trial for fraud.<\/p>\n

A little more than 30% of South Korea\u2019s 44 million eligible voters have already cast their ballots during last week\u2019s early voting period, the highest turnout for a parliamentary election. Official results are not expected to be released until early Thursday.<\/p>\n

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n