General election in South Korea in 2008

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(Turnout 46.0%)

 %

40

30th

20th

10

0

37.4

25.1

13.2

6.8

5.7

3.8

2.9

4.8

HP

TMP ^b

Pro-Park ^c

JAP ^d

MNP

CHP ^f

JSP ^g

Otherwise.

Gains and losses

compared to 2004

 % p

 15th

 10

   5

   0

  -5

-10

-15

-20

-25

+1.6

-20.3

+13.2

+6.8

-7.3

+3.8

+2.9

-0.7

HP

TMP ^b

Pro-Park ^c

JAP ^d

MNP

CHP ^f

JSP ^g

Otherwise.

Remarks:

^b The Tonghap-minju-Party ( 통합 민주당 ), Tonghap-minju-dang, United Democratic Party (UDP), since July 2008 Minju-Party , ( 민주당 , Minju-dang, Democratic Party) was created in February 2008 through the merger of the Yeollin -uri Party ( 열린 우리당 , Yeollin-uri-dang, Open We Party) with the Sae-cheonnyeon-minju Party ( 새천년 민주당 , Democratic Party of the New Millennium). UDP's share of the votes is compared to the aggregate shares of votes of the Yeollin-uri party (38.3%) and Sae-cheonnyeon-minju party (7.1%) in the 2004 election.

^c The Pro-Park Coalition was founded in March 2008 by Park Geun-hye supporters from the Great National Party.

^d The Jayu-seonjin Party (JAP) was founded in February 2008.

^f The Changjo-hanguk party (CHP) emerged in October 2007 as a split from the Yeollin-uri party.

^g The Jinbo-sin Party (JIP) (New Progressive Party) was founded in March of 2008.

The 2008 general election in South Korea took place on April 9, 2008. Around 38 million South Koreans eligible to vote were called to vote on the 299 seats in the National Assembly . 245 people's representatives were elected directly in the electoral districts and 54 seats were allocated according to proportional representation. The conservative Hannara Party ( 한나라당 , Grand National Party) of the new President Lee Myung-bak , who has been in office since the end of February, was able to replace the Liberals as the strongest force in the National Assembly.

With the election of Lee as the new head of state, the South Koreans had already decided in the presidential election on December 19, 2007 for a change of power after ten years of liberal domination. In South Korea's presidential system, the president could rule against a majority of the opposition. During the election campaign, the Hannara party promised far-reaching economic reforms, higher growth rates and a tougher stance towards communist North Korea. The party leader of the Tonghap Minju Party ( 통합 민주당 , United Democratic Party) Son Hak-Gyu admitted the defeat of his party and said that the will of his party "for changes and reforms does not seem to have been accepted by the people".

Result

The election was won by the conservative Hannara party of the new President Lee Myung Bak, which, according to the vote count, won an absolute majority of the seats in the National Assembly, replacing the Liberals as the strongest force.

Party / electoral alliance		Abbreviation	be right	Share of votes	Seats
	Hannara Party 한나라당 Great National Party	HP	6,421,654	37.4%	153
	Tonghap Minju Party 통합 민주당 United Democratic Party	TMP	4,313,111	25.1%	81
	Coalition for Park Geun-hye 친박 연대 Chinbak-hyundae	Pro-Park	2,258,726	13.1%	14th
	independent candidates	-	1,391,392	8.1%	25th
	Jayu-seonjin Party 자유 선진 당 Liberal Progressive Party	YES	1,173,452	6.8%	18th
	Minju-nodong Party 민주 노동당 Democratic Labor Party	MNP	973.394	5.6%	5
	Changjo-hanguk Party 창조 한국당 Creative Korea Party	CHP	651.980	3.8%	3
	Total votes		17.183.709	100%	299

According to the state election commission, voter turnout was 46 percent, an all-time low. Four years ago, more than 60 percent of South Koreans eligible to vote had voted. Disinterest and general disaffection with politics are cited by pollsters as reasons for the low turnout.

Seats won in the last election

Party / electoral alliance	2004	2000
Yeollin-uri party	152 (50.9%)	0 (0.0%)
Hannara Party (HP)	121 (40.5%)	133 (48.8%)
Minju Nodong Party (MNP)	10 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)
Sae-cheonnyeon-minju party SMP	9 (3.0%)	115 (42.1%)
United Liberal Democrats (ULD)	4 (1.3%)	17 (6.2%)
Others	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.1%)
Independent	2 (0.7%)	5 (1.8%)
Total number of seats	299	273

Voting card and allocation of seats

• 

  Majorities by constituency:

• 

  Result based on votes and composition of the new parliament

Individual evidence

1. ^ Election in South Korea: Historic Victory for Conservatives. In: focus. April 9, 2008, accessed January 17, 2018 .  
2. ↑ Elections Conservatives win parliamentary elections in South Korea. In: Hamburger Morgenpost. April 9, 2008, accessed May 8, 2019 .  
3. ↑ Conservatives win parliamentary elections in South Korea. In: The world. April 10, 2008, accessed January 17, 2018 .