Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

Lee Myung-bak, former Seoul Mayor and Hyundai CEO, was selected as presidential candidate of the major opposition Grand National Party (GNP), the party announced Monday, with most public surveys showing any GNP candidate will win the December election.

Lee defeated Park Geun-hye, former GNP chairwoman and daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, by about 2,400 votes or 8.5 percentage point in Sunday's primaries, it announced at a convention.

"We hereby announce contender Lee Myung-bak was elected as our Grand National Party's presidential candidate," Park Kwan-yong, the GNP's primary management committee, announced before a roaring crowd at a party convention at the Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium.

The former CEO of Hyundai Construction built his political reputation while in the mayoral office, restoring a downtown Seoul stream that was covered during the rapid industrialization in the 1970s under the administration of Park's father which often bypassed environmental considerations.

Presidential polls suggest a GNP candidate will win the next presidency if the vote is taken today. All pro-government contenders hold rock-bottom ratings, mainly because of voters' low opinion of President Roh Moo-hyun's economic performance.

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2007/08/20/11/0301000000AEN20070820004700315F.HTML

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I heard Lee Myung-bak is really Paul from Wonder Years.

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

Squid · Joined: 25 Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Anyang

His grand plan is for the trans-Korea canal.

He's a shoo-in.

Laughing

Julius · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

I hate the look of that snake. Really hope he doesn't get in.

The grans canal project would also be a reckless and stupid environmentally damaging project. Where do these guys dream up these idiotic projects??

YoshaMazov · Joined: 10 May 2007 Location: Suwon

All my Korean friends seemed to think that Park Geun-hye would win the nomination, but lose the election. Nuts to them, I guess.

PeteJB · Joined: 06 Jul 2007

Wasn't the CEO of Hyundai someone who'd never even completed high school? Maybe I'm confusing with another company..

Beej · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Location: Eungam Loop

doggyji · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:15 am Post subject:

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

tobyod · Joined: 06 Nov 2005

South Korea is not ready for a woman president. That being said I think that the current government and the new liberal party are thanking thier lucky stars that they have a sore spot to kick;)

Typhoon · Joined: 29 May 2007 Location: Daejeon

It appears that Lee has a lot of skeletons in his closest. That is not a good thing. He could be dragged through the mud. We just have to hope that he can pull through it. The last thing anyone needs is another Roh-like admin in Korea.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Lee has a lot of cracker ideas. But then he does get crap done. Park I would be afraid would spend her time trying to make everything right with her father's rule.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

If the election were held today, he would win. However, the election isn't till mid-December. Anything can happen between now and then--for one thing, the election will be after the summit. KJI really doesn't want the GNP to win. Maybe he'll surrender to the South. It could happen ^^;