ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Elections, the Church calls for "more cooperation" among the parties

Thursday, 14 April 2016 elections   dialogue  

Seoul Archdiocese

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The Saenuri Conservative Party, currently in power in South Korea, has lost the majority of seats in the Korean Parliament. According to the official results of the elections of 13 April, for the first time in 20 years the result appears to outline a tripartite composition of the assembly. Out of 300 seats, the Saenuri party obtained 122 members and the main opposition party, the "Minjoo" Democratic Party obtained 123, while the important change is that the newborn People's Party, which separated from the Democratic Party, gained 38 seats.
"The vote reflects the disappointment of many voters", explains to Agenzia Fides Mgr. Peter U-il Kang, Bishop of Cheju and member of the Committee on Social Affairs, in the Korean Catholic Bishops Conference. According to observers, the current government of President Park Geun-hye, has created discontent especially for the decline of economy: growth in 2015 stabilized around 2.5% but it is above all unemployment (over 12%) that has provoked disappointment among the youth.
Mgr. Kang noted that "now President Park Geun-hye, who has no parliamentary majority, will have to necessarily start political cooperation with the opposition forces".
Also with regard to relations with North Korea, "we hope there is a political change and that the path of dialogue and of reconciliation resumes", concluded the Bishop. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/04/2016)


Share: