South Korean legislative election, 1996

South Korean legislative election, 1996

11 April 1996
All 299 seats to the National Assembly of South Korea 150 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	63.9%
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Kim Young-sam Kim Dae-jung Kim Jong-pil Party New Korea National Congress ULD Leader since 28 August 1992 (DLP) 6 December 1995 5 September 1995 21 March 1995 Leader's seat not contesting (President) PR List 14 (lost seat) Buyeo Last election 149 seats, 38.5%(DLP) 97 seats, 29.2%(DP) none Seats before 165 65 25 Seats won 139 79 50 Seat change 26 14 25 Popular vote 6,783,730 4,971,961 3,178,474 Percentage 34,5% 25.3% 16.2

Parliamentary elections were held in South Korea on 12 April 1996. The result was a victory for the New Korea Party, which won 139 of the 299 seats in the National Assembly. Voter turnout was 63.9%. Even though the New Korea Party remained as the largest party in the National Assembly, it lost the majority.

Parties

The governing New Korea Party (formally the Democratic Liberal Party) of President Kim Young-sam, lost its absolute parliamentary majority. The election was held three years into President Kim's five year mandate.

The opposition National Congress for New Politics was formed by veteran opposition leader Kim Dae-jung and his supporters in the Democratic Party. Kim had retired from politics following his loss in the 1992 Presidential election but formed the new party after his return in 1995.

The right-wing United Liberal Democrats was led by former Prime Minister of South Korea Kim Jong-pil, a former ally of President Kim. He had been a member of the former ruling Democratic Liberal Party but broke with it after Kim's victory in 1992. It joined with Kim Dae Jung's opposition and formed coalition.

The minor Democratic Party had once been the premier opposition party. It supported Kim Dae-jung's unsuccessful Presidential campaign in 1992 and was the largest opposition party in the outgoing National Assembly. However, following the defection of Kim and his supporters, the party was reduced to a minor force. It later merged to Kim's party.

21st Century Korean Independence Party(21세기한독당) was the shortest-lived party(only 20 days) in South Korean history, which registered in March 25 of 1996, and dissolved in April 13 of same year.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/-
New Korea Party	6,783,730	34.5	139	-10
National Congress for New Politics	4,971,961	25.3	79	New
United Liberal Democrats	3,178,474	16.2	50	New
United Democratic Party	2,207,695	11.2	15	-82
Unified People of Non-faction Party	177,050	0.9	0	New
Great Korean Democratic Party	3,114	0.0	0	New
21st Century Korean Independence Party	1,693	0.0	0	New
Chinmin Party	571	0.0	0	New
Independents	2,328,785	11.8	16	-5
Invalid/blank votes	469,726	-	-	-
Total	20,122,799	100	299	0
Source: Nohlen et al.

External links

• 1996 elections in South Korea Inter-Parliamentary Union