ID :
58276
Thu, 04/30/2009 - 07:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58276
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Ruling party candidates struggling in by-elections
SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) was heading for a crushing defeat in parliamentary by-elections held in five electoral districts nationwide Wednesday, with its candidates defeated or trailing their independent and opposition rivals.
Independent candidate Chung Dong-young, a former presidential candidate who
recently bolted from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), defeated DP
candidate Kim Keun-shik, a renowned North Korea watcher, by an overwhelming
margin in his hometown district in Jeonju, about 300 km south of Seoul. Chung
garnered 72.3 percent of the votes, compared with 13.1 percent for Kim.
In a nearby district, also in Jeonju, independent candidate Shin Gunn, a former
chief of the National Intelligence Service now aligned with Chung, won a
legislative seat with 50.4 percent of votes, with his DP rival Lee Kwang-cheol
managing to earn 34.9 percent.
Contrary to the defeats in the southwest region, the DP won a crucial area
district in Bupyeong, Incheon, as Hong Young-pyo of the DP has garnered 50.19
percent against the 39.16 percent won by Lee Jae-hoon of the GNP. The district,
west of Seoul, is regarded as a critical constituency because of its proximity to
the capital and political neutrality.
The ruling party is also about to lose key districts in the southeast Gyeongsang
provinces to independent and minority party candidates.
Jeong Jong-bok, a GNP candidate with 34.9 percent of the vote, was also trailing
independent candidate Chung Soo-sung, aligned with former GNP Chairwoman Park
Geun-hye, by a margin of over 10 percentage points, in the Gyeongju district of
North Gyeongsang Province.
In a district in Ulsan, Cho Seung-soo, a progressive minority party candidate
strongly supported by blue-collar workers who make up the majority of the
industrial city's population, was leading with 49.33 percent, trailed by GNP
candidate Park Dae-dong with 41.21 percent of votes.
If the ruling party fails to win any of the five contested seats, President Lee
Myung-bak's drive to reform the public sector and revive the sagging economy will
likely be dealt a serious blow, political watchers say.
(END)
Independent candidate Chung Dong-young, a former presidential candidate who
recently bolted from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), defeated DP
candidate Kim Keun-shik, a renowned North Korea watcher, by an overwhelming
margin in his hometown district in Jeonju, about 300 km south of Seoul. Chung
garnered 72.3 percent of the votes, compared with 13.1 percent for Kim.
In a nearby district, also in Jeonju, independent candidate Shin Gunn, a former
chief of the National Intelligence Service now aligned with Chung, won a
legislative seat with 50.4 percent of votes, with his DP rival Lee Kwang-cheol
managing to earn 34.9 percent.
Contrary to the defeats in the southwest region, the DP won a crucial area
district in Bupyeong, Incheon, as Hong Young-pyo of the DP has garnered 50.19
percent against the 39.16 percent won by Lee Jae-hoon of the GNP. The district,
west of Seoul, is regarded as a critical constituency because of its proximity to
the capital and political neutrality.
The ruling party is also about to lose key districts in the southeast Gyeongsang
provinces to independent and minority party candidates.
Jeong Jong-bok, a GNP candidate with 34.9 percent of the vote, was also trailing
independent candidate Chung Soo-sung, aligned with former GNP Chairwoman Park
Geun-hye, by a margin of over 10 percentage points, in the Gyeongju district of
North Gyeongsang Province.
In a district in Ulsan, Cho Seung-soo, a progressive minority party candidate
strongly supported by blue-collar workers who make up the majority of the
industrial city's population, was leading with 49.33 percent, trailed by GNP
candidate Park Dae-dong with 41.21 percent of votes.
If the ruling party fails to win any of the five contested seats, President Lee
Myung-bak's drive to reform the public sector and revive the sagging economy will
likely be dealt a serious blow, political watchers say.
(END)
