Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Captain Corea]

S. Korea's ruling party pulls off upset victory in crucial general elections

[Dave Chance]

It's true they did well in the provinces, and therefore were able to capture the majority of seats.

However, they were beaten in Seoul and Gyeonggi.

[NohopeSeriously]

[jvalmer]

blah blah blah... and the same thing could be said about the opposition if they had won...

[motiontodismiss]

Great, four more years of the same scandals, corruption and incompetence. I'm completely disappointed in the Korean people.

I was hoping for people to remember what an ass the president is and kick the conservatives in the ass, but I overestimated the people of this country. I hope they realize soon that the more divided the politicians, the better the economy will do beause the politicians would be too busy infighting to destroy the economy.

[Captain Corea]

Motion, I've been here through a number of presidents now....and recall that there were scandals when the "left" was in power as well.

I believe the Korean people recognize that both sides have issues...and that was reflected in this vote - and relatively low voter turn out.




NoHope, what happened to your glorious Left? Did the support of the DPRK not move the people enough to get a majority? lol

[SMOE NSET]

The voting situation is the same as most countries: old people vote; young people don't (or tricked into not knowing where the voting booths are located).

The young Koreans (35 and younger) hate (well with my friends anyway) the Saenuri party. If they would actually go out and vote, then they wouldn't have reason to complain about who is in power. The problem is they don't.

[Swampfox10mm]

I find it hard to like any party in Korea.

I just want the housing market to collapse. Preferrably without it taking our Wolsye deposit along with it.

[goreality]

I for one am pleased with the higher turnout than last time. Democracy prevails. Most of my unemployed or under employed friends support the left, but it's like that in every country. I believe there was a sexist loudmouth that they didn't want to get rid of because his critical views are popular with the younger crowds....when you think about it that's kinda scary. Also you have to be pretty dumb to get tricked into not knowing where to vote, probably for the best.

[motiontodismiss]

[Joe Boxer]

[Dave Chance]

^^Amusing. I'm sure she really gets down with the young people and relates on the level fo' real.

She can partay all night if she wants to as the money her family's been using since the 60's is more than sufficient- including a 30% stake in MBC and whole ownership of a newspaper which her father extorted from someone who refused to collaborate:

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/02/113_105657.html

A court turned down a suit calling for the return of shares in the Jeongsu Scholarship Foundation to the family of the deceased Kim Ji-tae, the original creator of the foundation.

The late Kim is the founder of the Buil Scholarship Foundation, the preceding entity of Jeongsu Scholarship Foundation of which management is said to be still influenced by ruling party leader Park Geun-hye. Park was a former board chairwoman of the Jeongsu foundation.

The Seoul Central District Court ruled Friday that the state and the scholarship foundation did not have to return the stake in the foundation to the family of late Kim.

The court acknowledged that Kim was forced by the then government to hand over his shares, but said the 10-year statute of limitations for the cancellation of the �forced� stock transfer has already expired.

http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/news/article.asp?parentid=27175

The late President Park Chung-hee forced a businessman to give up his scholarship foundation and shares in news companies to muzzle the press in 1962, an investigation report of a special committee said on Friday.

The Puil Scholarship Foundation, a predecessor of the Chungsoo Scholarship Foundation, was donated by its late owner Kim Ji-tae, a wealthy businessman and former lawmaker, to Park�s military government, according to the report by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Chairwoman of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) Park Geun-hye, who is the daughter of the late president, had headed the foundation, which remains the 100 percent owner of the Pusan Ilbo, a vernacular daily, and 30 percent of the Seoul MBC, since the late 1990s until February this year.

According to the NIS Development Committee for Clarifying the Past (NISDC), established to unearth misdeeds of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA)--predecessor of the NIS--the spy agency was deeply involved in urging Kim to give up the foundation and his large shares of the newspaper and the broadcaster.

Since Kim donated the foundation and shares to the military government in 1962, it has been rumored that it confiscated the foundation because the businessman refused to help finance Park�s coup.

"The Chungsoo Scholarship Foundation should be returned to society in order to realize Kim�s legacy, who wished to contribute to the welfare of the poor," said the committee.

Great to see that despite the court's confirmation that the shares were transfered over as a result of the original owner being forced to do so, they still boogie to the beat of Washington's lackeys...with influence like that it's a wonder they didn't win all the seats...

In fact, it's more accurate to say ceratin dailies betray their sympathies in how they write their headlines. With the deep pockets/networks/influence/backing from Washington that the ruling party has, it's more of a case that the close results reflect a significant opposition to Saenuri dan outside of the easily bought-off hick provinces.

[motiontodismiss]

I was really hoping for the opposition to gain more seats in the capital region. As much as I don't think the democrats are any better, illegal surveillance on civilians in times of (sort of) peace, the corruption, the whole real estate in Naegokdong nonsense does NOT sit well with me.

And AFAIC Lee myung bak=Saenuri. They're all the same and they just happen to be the greatest actors of all time. Just because you change your name and put on a different colored jacket doesn't make you different.

Apparently the opposition had a greater share of the popular vote though, so it'll be interesting to see how that plays out in the Presidential election in december.

[Ave, L�cifer]

isn't it a little misleading referring to the opposition as "the left" because they'd be classed as centre-right in most other countries? don't think there is any significatn political force in korea that could be classes as left-wing, right?

[motiontodismiss]