Ruling bloc gains unprecedented control

The ruling and opposition parties on Thursday began preparations for the days to come following the ruling bloc’s landslide win in the previous day’s general elections.

Wednesday’s win increased the presence of President Moon Jae-in’s Democratic Party of Korea in the National Assembly to unprecedented levels, and on Thursday, Moon expressed his gratitude and pledged to work for the people in a statement conveyed through his spokesman.

“The government will take a heavy sense of responsibility. The government will not become conceited, and will humbly listen to the voice of the people,” Moon said.

“An unprecedented national crisis must be faced, but the government will trust in the people, and move forward undaunted.”

The ruling Democratic Party and its satellite Citizen Party took Wednesday’s elections in a landslide, with the former taking 163 of the 253 constituencies in direct contests and the latter 17 of 47 proportional representative seats. The main opposition United Future Party won 84 constituencies and its satellite Future Korea Party picked up 19 proportional representative seats.

Taking 180 of the 300 seats in the National Assembly, this year’s general elections brought an unprecedented victory for the ruling bloc. From May 30, when the 21st National Assembly’s term begins, the Democratic Party will be the largest ruling party seen since the early 1990s.

In addition to being the largest victory ever for the Democratic Party, 180 seats gives it almost unchecked power within the parliament, being sufficient to conduct all parliamentary procedures without cooperation from opposition parties with the exception of revising the Constitution. Revising the Constitution would require the support of 200 lawmakers.

Moon’s comments were echoed by ruling party leaders who pledged to fulfill its role with the majority.

“Looking at the results, a heavy responsibility comes before joy of victory,” party Chairman Rep. Lee Hae-chan said, adding that the responsibility of keeping the National Assembly on track now rests fully on the party.

Lee went on to urge lawmakers-elect to not lose sight of their duties and to maintain humility.

As expected, the United Future Party was in a solemn mood Thursday, with those who led the party and its election campaign issuing apologies.

“I admit that change within the party was insufficient. I am very sorry for having asked the voters to support a party that was not prepared,” United Future Party’s election committee co-chair Kim Chong-in said.

Kim, who had predicted that his party would come to hold most seats without difficulty just a day earlier, went on to say that he considers the results to be the public’s call for the opposition party to change.

“There isn’t much evidence of the party having tried to change since the impeachment, and it simply repeated ‘conservative, conservative’ and came to where it is now,” Kim said.

Kim was referring to the 2017 impeachment of former President Park Guen-hye, and the main opposition’s oft-repeated calls for conservatives to coalesce.

Kim declined to comment on his potential role in the future of the party, saying only that he has not considered such issues.

With its chairman, Hwang Kyo-ahn, having resigned later Wednesday, the party is considered likely to launch an emergency committee. After the overall projections for the general elections became clear, Hwang resigned in a gesture to take responsibility for the defeat.

Some experts, however, say that simply seeking changes will not be enough for the conservative bloc.

“The party should disband and reform anew. (The election results) mean that the party no longer has value in existing,” said Shin Yul, a professor at Myongji University.

“What the elections showed is that the country’s ideological geography has changed, and the opposition must move on from being ideology-based to being practicality-based.”

He added that in transforming itself, the United Future Party should look outside its ranks -- current and past -- in selecting a new leader.

As the main opposition began the process of recovering from the defeat, leaders of minor opposition groups accepted the outcomes that had fallen far short of their hopes.

Sohn Hak-kyu of the Minsaeng Party said that he will resign as the party chairman, taking responsibility for the outcome, while Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party said he humbly accepts the results.

The Minsaeng Party received 2.7 percent of votes for proportional representation, winning no seats, while the People’s Party received 6.7 percent, giving the party three seats.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)