66% turnout and a landslide victory for the Democrats
April 16, 2020 8:10 AM Subscribe
The Democrats win 180 seats for the National Assembly.
On April 15, South Koreans went to the polls to elect the National Assembly. While the conservative parties pushed for this election to be a referendum on Democrat MOON Jae-In's presidency, particularly his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic during the early days and his administration's apparent fecklessness, but his approval ratings shot back up as the curve bent and the outbreak was brought under control, coupled with the shambolic reactions of the previously-admired West to the pandemic.
Turns out competency helps win elections—the Democratic Party won 60% of all seats, enabling them to fast track legislation for the remaining two years of MOON Jae-In's term.
Voting was made possible with new tactics to minimize risks to those queueing.
An explanation of the left-right divide in South Korea.
The election graphics are top-notch and worth viewing on their own. (compare to those from 2017)
On April 15, South Koreans went to the polls to elect the National Assembly. While the conservative parties pushed for this election to be a referendum on Democrat MOON Jae-In's presidency, particularly his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic during the early days and his administration's apparent fecklessness, but his approval ratings shot back up as the curve bent and the outbreak was brought under control, coupled with the shambolic reactions of the previously-admired West to the pandemic.
Turns out competency helps win elections—the Democratic Party won 60% of all seats, enabling them to fast track legislation for the remaining two years of MOON Jae-In's term.
Voting was made possible with new tactics to minimize risks to those queueing.
An explanation of the left-right divide in South Korea.
The election graphics are top-notch and worth viewing on their own. (compare to those from 2017)
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- frimble
An explanation of the left-right divide in South Korea.
That is an AWESOME link. Thankyou!
posted by lalochezia at 9:15 AM on April 16, 2020 [9 favorites]
Yeah. The Democrats won around 80 seats more than the UFP—enough for those special fast-track powers—but they actually secured 0.5pp fewer votes. FPTP is a helluva drug.
posted by Panthalassa at 9:28 AM on April 16, 2020
posted by Panthalassa at 9:28 AM on April 16, 2020
Thanks anem0ne for the additional information. It's really informative. Currently I'm just jealous!
posted by toastyk at 9:32 AM on April 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by toastyk at 9:32 AM on April 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
It sounds to my admittedly uninformed perspective like the party in power is being rewarded for their competent leadership during an unprecedented crisis more than anything else.
posted by tobascodagama at 10:32 AM on April 16, 2020
posted by tobascodagama at 10:32 AM on April 16, 2020
SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System) has a reputation for their election graphics, some of which were linked to in the post.
For the 2018 mayoral & gubernatorial election results, SBS parodied Produce 101, an idol competition show in which 'national producers' (the viewers) voted for the final 11 idol group members from a pool of 101 contestants. And those are the actual candidates making hand gestures popularized by P101 contestants, not CG, except for one candidate who refused to take part and so CG had to be used for them.
GoT-themed 2017 Presidential Election graphics
Harry Potter-themed 2018 Local Election predictions
posted by needled at 11:02 AM on April 16, 2020 [2 favorites]
For the 2018 mayoral & gubernatorial election results, SBS parodied Produce 101, an idol competition show in which 'national producers' (the viewers) voted for the final 11 idol group members from a pool of 101 contestants. And those are the actual candidates making hand gestures popularized by P101 contestants, not CG, except for one candidate who refused to take part and so CG had to be used for them.
GoT-themed 2017 Presidential Election graphics
Harry Potter-themed 2018 Local Election predictions
posted by needled at 11:02 AM on April 16, 2020 [2 favorites]
Looking at the 8 seats the conservatives won out of the 49 seats in Seoul, not surprisingly they are in Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa and Yongsan districts, which are the wealthiest districts in Seoul. Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa are typically referred to as comprising the Gangnam area.
posted by needled at 11:16 AM on April 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by needled at 11:16 AM on April 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yeah. The Democrats won around 80 seats more than the UFP—enough for those special fast-track powers—but they actually secured 0.5pp fewer votes. FPTP is a helluva drug.
Wait, can you explain this more? The only place I've seen vote totals in a (very superficial) search is wikipedia, which should the Democrats +8% on the "constituency vote" but -0.4% on the "party list vote." Don't know how interpret this or your observation.
posted by mark k at 3:27 PM on April 16, 2020
Wait, can you explain this more? The only place I've seen vote totals in a (very superficial) search is wikipedia, which should the Democrats +8% on the "constituency vote" but -0.4% on the "party list vote." Don't know how interpret this or your observation.
posted by mark k at 3:27 PM on April 16, 2020
Ah, my bad! When I last checked Wikipedia, it was showing only the party list vote totals in the 'Popular Vote' section of that summary table at the top. I failed to verify the figures properly. I even checked MBC but must have misread something.
(It is still interesting nevertheless that there is such a massive discrepancy between the way people voted in their FPTP single member constituencies versus in the proportionally represented parallel voting system. I hope someone writes a paper on it.)
posted by Panthalassa at 4:17 PM on April 16, 2020
(It is still interesting nevertheless that there is such a massive discrepancy between the way people voted in their FPTP single member constituencies versus in the proportionally represented parallel voting system. I hope someone writes a paper on it.)
posted by Panthalassa at 4:17 PM on April 16, 2020
Looking at the 8 seats the conservatives won out of the 49 seats in Seoul, not surprisingly they are in Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa and Yongsan districts, which are the wealthiest districts in Seoul. Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa are typically referred to as comprising the Gangnam area.
One might almost say that area has a kind of mode... a certain élan, brio or esprit if you will.
posted by leibniz at 4:17 PM on April 16, 2020 [5 favorites]
One might almost say that area has a kind of mode... a certain élan, brio or esprit if you will.
posted by leibniz at 4:17 PM on April 16, 2020 [5 favorites]
Seoul is to set a 2050 net zero emissions goal.
That's going to be especially difficult (senselessly difficult) while Moon tries to phase out carbon free nuclear power.
posted by Popular Ethics at 8:19 PM on April 16, 2020
That's going to be especially difficult (senselessly difficult) while Moon tries to phase out carbon free nuclear power.
posted by Popular Ethics at 8:19 PM on April 16, 2020
Why senselessly? Nuclear power has been a loser, a polluter, and cost ineffective for decades now.
The vulnerability and risk of my local reactor was used to convince my local utility that they needed to build more fracked gas power to compensate for the liabilities of the nuclear plant. That does not seem part of the solution to me, that I pay for the nuclear reactor, and then have to pay again for its deficiencies.
posted by eustatic at 4:06 AM on April 17, 2020
The vulnerability and risk of my local reactor was used to convince my local utility that they needed to build more fracked gas power to compensate for the liabilities of the nuclear plant. That does not seem part of the solution to me, that I pay for the nuclear reactor, and then have to pay again for its deficiencies.
posted by eustatic at 4:06 AM on April 17, 2020
Part of me is not surprised, but still saddened by the regional divide shown by this map.
posted by needled at 7:09 AM on April 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by needled at 7:09 AM on April 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
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posted by zeikka at 8:18 AM on April 16, 2020 [11 favorites]