(From Reuters)
South Korea’s ruling conservative party may fail to regain a majority in parliament in an election on Wednesday with exit polls, after the voting ended, showing control of the legislature hanging in the balance.
President Park Geun-hye’s ruling Saenuri Party had been expected to win a majority in the National Assembly, which would boost its chances of its candidate winning a presidential election next year to find Park’s successor at the end of her five-year term.
But as exits poll results came in, Saenuri was expected to win between 121 and 143 of the 300 National Assembly seats, with the main opposition Minjoo Party seen taking between 101 and 123 seats, according to KBS television.
Turnout was higher than in two previous elections, defying the expectations of analysts and politicians who thought public discontent in a sluggish economy after a four-year legislative term considered one of the least productive ever would keep voters away.
The People’s Party, an opposition splinter party, was expected to win up to 41 seats.
Exit polls by three television networks gave projections in ranges of seats. The exit polls also did not incorporate more than 5 million votes, 12 percent of total, cast in early voting last week. Read More