1996 South Korean legislative election

1996 South Korean legislative election

11 April 1996
All 299 seats in the National Assembly 150 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	63.9% (8 pp)
Majority party Minority party   Leader Kim Young-sam Kim Dae-jung Party New Korea National Congress Leader since 28 August 1992 5 September 1995 Leader's seat not contesting (President) PR List 14 (lost seat) Last election 38.5%, 149 seats – Seats won 139 79 Seat change 10 New Popular vote 6,783,730 4,971,961 Percentage 34.5% 25.3%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Kim Jong-pil Park Il Chang Eul-byung Party United Liberal Democrats UDP Leader since 21 March 1995 21 December 1995 Leader's seat Buyeo Last election – 31.0%, 98 seats Seats won 50 15 Seat change New 83 Popular vote 3,178,474 2,207,695 Percentage 16.2% 12.2%

Legislative 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%. Although the New Korea Party remained the largest party in the National Assembly, it failed to win the majority.

Parties

The governing New Korea Party (formerly 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 United 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.

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	–83
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
Registered voters/turnout	31,488,294	63.9	–	–
Source: Nohlen et al.

External links

• 1996 elections in South Korea Inter-Parliamentary Union