Political Shakeup

[Anchor Lead]

With the announcement from non-mainstream members of the Saenuri Party of their decision to leave, Korea's political scene may consist of four parties for the first time in two decades. In this new climate, the Minjoo Party of Korea emerges as the number one party.

[Pkg]

After the Democratic Justice Party, the ruling party in Korea at the time, suffered a crushing defeat in the 1988 general elections, Korea's political sector comprised one ruling and three opposition parties. But in 1990, the ruling and two opposition parties decided to merge into a unified Democratic Liberal Party. In 1995, the opposition camp split following former President Kim Dae-jung's return to the world of politics, and there were again four parties. However, the outcome of the general elections held in the following year overhauled the policial circles yet again to comprise only three parties. With the recent announcement from the non-mainstream members of the ruling Saenuri Party of their decision to leave the party, the nation's policital sector will likely comprise four parties once again for the first time in 20 years. The Minjoo Party of Korea will replace the Saenuri Party as the nation's dominant party, which means that the Saenuri Party's influence in parliament is likely to diminish significantly. The opposition camp has the power to process any bill without the ruling party's consent at parliamentary plenary sessions according to the National Assembly Act, as even the chiefs of parliamentary committees have decided to leave the Saenuri Party and the opposition camp now holds more than 180 seats.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Hyung-jun(Myongji University) : "The Saenuri Party will be ostracized in parliament.Even though there are four parties now, the political circles will inevitably move around the three opposition parties."

Each political party must inevitably adjust its strategies, as the situation in political circles will change according to what move the nation's conservatives will take next. The political parties will likely compete fiercely given the possibility of further changes ahead of the presidential election.