Your vote will shape tomorrow

The day of decision, April 10, has arrived. Each voter's ballot will shape our tomorrow. In the general elections held in the third year of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, the majority party in the National Assembly and the leading party's position will significantly influence the direction of governance for the remaining term.

In the 21st general election of 2020, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea secured a sweeping victory with 180 seats, bolstering the latter part of the Moon Jae-in administration. However, two years later, the presidential election outcome shifted due to the ruling party's overwhelming legislative dominance. Conversely, in the 20th general election of 2016, the ruling Saenuri Party faced a judgment vote for the government and the ruling party, falling short of the majority with 122 seats and failing to secure the top spot in the National Assembly. This led to the loss of political power for President Park Geun-hye, culminating in her impeachment the following year. In the 19th general election of 2012, during the final stages of the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Saenuri Party, under the leadership of the Park Geun-hye Emergency Response Committee, clinched an unexpectedly large majority, paving the way for a power shift.

The 2024 general elections are expected to once again bring about significant changes in national affairs and the political landscape, depending on the election results. On Tuesday, a day before the election, the heads of the ruling and opposition parties made statements reflecting the importance of every single vote. People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon remarked, “We are just one vote short,” while Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, emphasized the urgency, stating, “We are worse off than in the presidential election. We desperately need votes.”

Even on the eve of the election, both ruling and opposition party election committees identified 50 to 60 regions nationwide as contested areas, where the outcomes could vary depending on the votes cast on the election day.


Ji-Hyun Kim jhk85@donga.com · Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com