South Korean opposition set for landslide election win

Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, speaks to the media in Seoul after the result of exit polls were broadcast – CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAGES ASIAPAC

South Korea’s opposition was set to win a landslide in parliamentary elections on Wednesday, a result that if confirmed could risk making President Yoon Suk Yeol a lame duck for his remaining three years in office.

Exit polls suggested opposition parties including the main Democratic Party (DP) are projected to win up to 197 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, a rise from 156 in the last parliamentary term.

This would leave Mr Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) and its supporters with between 85 and 99 seats, following a lacklustre campaign in which he was mocked for not knowing the price of spring onions.

If the opposition DP or a broader opposition bloc do chalk up a significant win, it would likely risk domestic political gridlock for the president’s administration.

Although Mr Yoon’s foreign and defence policies are unlikely to be impacted by parliamentary challenge, his push for corporate tax cuts, business-friendly reforms and recruiting more medical students are now at risk of stalling.

The president’s approval ratings are already low as a result of rising food prices and the cost of living, a bitter doctor’s strike and several political scandals.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol casts his early vote for the election – YONHAP

That is despite several notable foreign policy achievements over the past two years.

Mr Yoon has been credited by the United States for taking bold steps to overcome historical differences with neighbouring Japan to build up trilateral political and military ties and counter China’s growing regional influence and rising threats from North Korea.

However, such successes have held little water with voters who are struggling to make ends meet.

On the campaign trail, Mr Yoon was accused of being out of touch when he picked up a government subsidised bundle of spring onions and remarked that the price tag of 875 won (51p) was “reasonable”.

Supporters of the Democratic Party hold placards during a campaign rally in Gimpo, South Korea, at the weekend – SEONG JOON CHO/BLOOMBERG

The actual retail price is up to 4,000 won (£2.34). The gaffe has since been used repeatedly by the opposition to mock the president’s party, with displays of spring onions popping up at campaign rallies.

The Yoon administration has also struggled with negative headlines over the appointment of  Lee Jong-sup, the former defence minister, as envoy to Australia while being investigated for corruption, and a controversy over the First Lady allegedly accepting a luxury bag.

Earlier this year, hidden camera footage emerged of Kim Keon-hee appearing to accept a Dior handbag from a pastor known for advocating closer ties with North Korea. Mr Yoon has maintained she was the victim of a political ploy.

However, Lee Jae-myung, the opposition leader, is also facing corruption charges connected to real estate development and bribery accusations linked to a football club he oversaw as a city mayor, all of which he denies.

A mother casts her vote with her daughter for the parliamentary election – AHN YOUNG-JOON/AP

The leaders of the two main parties that have historically dominated South Korean politics have both struggled to win over the electorate, and Mr Lee lost only by 0.73 per cent to Mr Yoon in the 2022 presidential poll.

Public antipathy towards them could create more space for smaller parties to gain seats and more political influence in the parliament.

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