South Korean presidential election, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 17th South Korea
n presidential election took place on 19 December 2007. The election was won by Lee Myung-bak
of the Grand National Party
, returning conservatives to the Blue House
for the first time in ten years. Lee defeated United New Democratic Party
candidate Chung Dong-young
and independent
candidate Lee Hoi-chang
by the largest margin since direct elections were reintroduced in 1987. It also marked the first time a president-elect
in Korea was under investigation by a prosecutor. Voter turnout was 62.9%, an all-time low according to the National Election Commission.
parties contested.
UNDP
Chung Dong-young
was elected as the official candidate of the party on October 14, 2007.
Lee In-je was elected as the official presidential candidate of the party.
Conservative (GNP
The official result was announced on August 20, 2007, at 07:20 GMT, naming Lee Myung-bak
the presidential candidate from the Hannara party.
One of the major conservative candidate, Lee Hoi-chang
was announced his candidacy on November 7, 2007, as an independent.
No candidate received a majority of the votes, so a second round of the presidential primary was scheduled from September 10 to September 15.
As a result, the official presidential candidate of Democratic Labour Party: Kwon Young-ghil
.
.
agent was guilty of investigating Lee Myung-bak's secret real estate-related information before the election.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n presidential election took place on 19 December 2007. The election was won by Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
of the Grand National Party
Grand National Party
The Grand National Party is a conservative political party in South Korea. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly, lasting from 2008 to 2012....
, returning conservatives to the Blue House
Cheong Wa Dae
The Cheongwadae or Blue House is the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state, the President of the Republic of Korea...
for the first time in ten years. Lee defeated United New Democratic Party
United New Democratic Party
The United New Democratic Party was a political party of South Korea. It was formed out of the Uri Party and its resulting splinter groups. Chung Dong-young was the UNDP candidate in the South Korean presidential election, 2007; he lost to Lee Myung-bak...
candidate Chung Dong-young
Chung Dong-young
Chung Dong-young is a politician and was the United New Democratic Party candidate for President of South Korea in 2007....
and independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate Lee Hoi-chang
Lee Hoi-chang
Lee Hoi-chang is a South Korean politician. A Catholic, he was born to an elite family in Seoheung, Hwanghae , but grew up in the south after his father, a public prosecutor, was appointed to a new post....
by the largest margin since direct elections were reintroduced in 1987. It also marked the first time a president-elect
President-elect
An -elect is a political candidate who has been elected to an office but who has not yet been sworn in or officially taken office. These may include an incoming president, senator, representative, governor and mayor.Analogously, the term "designate" An -elect is a political candidate who has been...
in Korea was under investigation by a prosecutor. Voter turnout was 62.9%, an all-time low according to the National Election Commission.
Official candidates
| Candidate | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chung Dong-young Chung Dong-young Chung Dong-young is a politician and was the United New Democratic Party candidate for President of South Korea in 2007.... (정동영) |
United New Democratic Party United New Democratic Party The United New Democratic Party was a political party of South Korea. It was formed out of the Uri Party and its resulting splinter groups. Chung Dong-young was the UNDP candidate in the South Korean presidential election, 2007; he lost to Lee Myung-bak... Daetonghap Minjusin-dang - 대통합민주신당 |
|
| Lee Myung-bak Lee Myung-bak Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the... (이명박) |
Grand National Party Grand National Party The Grand National Party is a conservative political party in South Korea. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly, lasting from 2008 to 2012.... Hannara-dang - 한나라당 |
|
| Kwon Young-ghil Kwon Young-ghil Kwon Young-ghil is a South Korean politician. He has a Bachelor's degree in sericulture from Seoul National University. Before turning to politics, he led several labour organizations including Korean Federation of Press Unions and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions... (권영길) |
Democratic Labour Party Democratic Labour Party (South Korea) The Democratic Labor Party , established in January 2000, is a left-wing nationalist political party in South Korea. It was founded in the effort to create a political wing for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, considered more left and independent of the two union federations in South Korea... Minju Nodongdang - 민주노동당 |
|
| Lee In-je (이인제) | Democratic Party Minju-dang - 민주당 | |
| |
People First Party People First Party (South Korea) The People First Party , was a political party in South Korea. It is led by Sim Dae-pyung and Shin Kook-hwan. Its profile is center-right, conservative. The party is based in the central provinces of Chungcheong. The group absorbed the small opposition United Liberal Democrats also based in the... Gungmin Jungsim-dang -국민중심당 |
retracted candidacy |
| Moon Kook-hyun Moon Kook-hyun Moon Kook-hyun is the leader of the Creative Korea Party, who served as a well-known business manager and civil environmental campaigner in South Korea before entering his political career.... (문국현) |
Creative Korea Party Changjo Hanguk-dang - 창조한국당 | |
| Chung Kun-mo (정근모) | True Owner Coalition Chamju Inyeon-hap - 참주인연합 | |
| Huh Kyung-young Huh Kyung-young Huh Kyung-young is a South Korean politician, chief of the Democratic Republican Party , and singer.On Aug 15, The Liberation Day of Korea, he has released his first digital single Call Me.-External links:... (허경영) |
Economic Republican Party Gyeongje Gonghwa-dang - 경제공화당 | |
| Chun Kwan (전환) | Chamsaram Society Full True Act Saesi Daechamsaram Ramyeon-hap -새시대참사람연합 | |
| Geum Min (금민) | Korea Socialist Party Hanguk Sahoe-dang - 한국사회당 | |
| Lee Soo-sung Lee Soo-sung is a South Korean politician and legal scholar. He was Prime Minister of South Korea from December 18, 1995 to March 4, 1997... (이수성) |
People’s Coalition for Unity and Advance Hwahab Gwadoyeogeul Gwihangukmin Yeondae - 화합과도약을위한국민연대 | retracted candidacy |
| Lee Hoi-chang Lee Hoi-chang Lee Hoi-chang is a South Korean politician. A Catholic, he was born to an elite family in Seoheung, Hwanghae , but grew up in the south after his father, a public prosecutor, was appointed to a new post.... (이회창) |
Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
|
Timeline
This list of dates are the major events managed by the NEC (National Election Commission).- February 28, 2007 - The official census is published, for the purpose of finding eligible voters
- April 23, 2007 - Beginning of pre registration of candidates.
- November 21 to November 25, 2007 - The NEC compiles and publishes the electoral rolls.
- November 25 and November 26, 2007 - Official period to register as a presidential candidate.
- December 12 - Electoral rolls finalized
- December 13 and December 14, 2007 - Absentee voting
- December 19 (from 06:00-18:00 KSTKorea Standard TimeKorea Standard Time is the standard time zone in North and South Korea and is 9 hours ahead of UTC : i.e., when it is midnight UTC, it is 9 am Korea Standard Time. Korea does not currently observe daylight saving time but has experimented with it in the past...
) - Polling held - December 20 - Votes are counted and results are announced
Pro-government primaries
On this election, there were three liberalLiberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
parties contested.
UNDPUnited New Democratic PartyThe United New Democratic Party was a political party of South Korea. It was formed out of the Uri Party and its resulting splinter groups. Chung Dong-young was the UNDP candidate in the South Korean presidential election, 2007; he lost to Lee Myung-bak...
primary
Chung Dong-youngChung Dong-young
Chung Dong-young is a politician and was the United New Democratic Party candidate for President of South Korea in 2007....
was elected as the official candidate of the party on October 14, 2007.
Creative Korea Party primary
- Moon Kook-hyunMoon Kook-hyunMoon Kook-hyun is the leader of the Creative Korea Party, who served as a well-known business manager and civil environmental campaigner in South Korea before entering his political career....
(문국현), former CEOChief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Yuhan Kimberly (Kimberly-ClarkKimberly-ClarkKimberly-Clark Corporation is an American corporation that produces mostly paper-based consumer products. Kimberly-Clark brand name products include "Kleenex" facial tissue, "Kotex" feminine hygiene products, "Cottonelle", Scott and Andrex toilet paper, Wypall utility wipes, "KimWipes"...
's company in Korea), was elected as the official presidential candidate of the party on November 4, 2007.
Democrats primary
- Rule of presidential primary: the official result of this party's primary will combining the members' vote (50%), civil delegates (35%), and the result of popularity polls (15%) that conducted by phone on October 14, 2007.
- Candidates
Lee In-je was elected as the official presidential candidate of the party.
Conservative (GNPGrand National PartyThe Grand National Party is a conservative political party in South Korea. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly, lasting from 2008 to 2012....
) primary
The official result was announced on August 20, 2007, at 07:20 GMT, naming Lee Myung-bakLee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
the presidential candidate from the Hannara party.
- Lee Myung-bakLee Myung-bakLee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
(이명박) 81,084 votes (49.56%) - Won Hee-ryongWon Hee-ryongWon Hee-ryong is a South Korean politician. He is a member of the 16th, 17th, and 18th National Assembly, and was a Supreme Council Member of the conservative Grand National Party. He is now in his third parliamentary term, having first been elected in 2000. He is a young politician who speaks for...
(원희룡) 2,398 votes (1.47%) - Park Geun-hyePark Geun-hyePark Geun-hye is a South Korean politician. She is a member of the Korean National Assembly and was the head of the conservative Grand National Party. She is now in her fourth parliamentary term, having first been elected in 1998. Her father was Park Chung-hee, president of South Korea from 1963...
(박근혜) 78,632 votes (48.06%) - Hong Jun-pyoHong Jun-pyoHong Jun-pyo is a South Korean politician and the current chairperson of the Grand National Party. He was born in Changnyeong. South Gyeongsang Province...
(홍준표) 1,503 votes (0.91%) - Go Jin-hwa (고진화) retracted
One of the major conservative candidate, Lee Hoi-chang
Lee Hoi-chang
Lee Hoi-chang is a South Korean politician. A Catholic, he was born to an elite family in Seoheung, Hwanghae , but grew up in the south after his father, a public prosecutor, was appointed to a new post....
was announced his candidacy on November 7, 2007, as an independent.
Voting method
- Online voting: All members of this party can log on to the official homepage to cast their vote. Confirmation process by cell phone is needed.
- Off-line voting: There are 227 voting stations around the nation. Voters can cast their vote from 09:00 to 22:00 (Considering more than 70% of the members' convenience, which are regular salaried-class people).
- Number of party members who can cast their vote: 50,117.
1st round
The official results of the first round, as announced on September 9, 2007, at 07:30 GMT, were:- Shim Sang-jeong (심상정) 10,064 votes (26.08%)
- Roh Hoe-chanRoh Hoe-chanRoh Hoe-chan is a South Korean politician. He has a bachelor's degree in politics from Korea University. He was in the Democratic Labor Party as an Assembly member . Now he is the president of New Progressive Party.-External links:* * -References:...
(노회찬) 9,478 votes (24.56%) - Kwon Young-ghilKwon Young-ghilKwon Young-ghil is a South Korean politician. He has a Bachelor's degree in sericulture from Seoul National University. Before turning to politics, he led several labour organizations including Korean Federation of Press Unions and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions...
(권영길) 19,053 votes (49.37%)
No candidate received a majority of the votes, so a second round of the presidential primary was scheduled from September 10 to September 15.
Final (2nd) round
- Shim Sang-jeong (심상정) 17,122 votes (47.26%)
- Kwon Young-ghilKwon Young-ghilKwon Young-ghil is a South Korean politician. He has a Bachelor's degree in sericulture from Seoul National University. Before turning to politics, he led several labour organizations including Korean Federation of Press Unions and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions...
(권영길) 19,109 votes (52.74%)
As a result, the official presidential candidate of Democratic Labour Party: Kwon Young-ghil
Kwon Young-ghil
Kwon Young-ghil is a South Korean politician. He has a Bachelor's degree in sericulture from Seoul National University. Before turning to politics, he led several labour organizations including Korean Federation of Press Unions and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions...
.
Exit polls
The following joint exit poll was announced by KBS and MBCMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
.
- Lee Myung-bak - 50.3%
- Chung Dong-young - 26.0%
- Lee Hoi-chang - 13.5%
Final result
| regions · provinces · cities | Lee Myung-bak | Chung Dong-young | Lee Hoi-chang | Moon Kook-hyun | Kwon Young-ghil | Lee In-je | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| Sudogwon Seoul National Capital Area The Seoul National Capital Area is a region located in the north-west of South Korea. It is generally referred to as Sudogwon in Korean, and contains three different administrative districts; Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi-do.... |
Seoul Seoul Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world... |
2,689,162 | (53.2％) | 1,237,812 | (24.5％) | 596,226 | (11.8％) | 358,781 | (7.1％) | 116,344 | (2.3％) | 23,214 | (0.5％) |
| Incheon Incheon The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City... |
593,283 | (49.2％) | 286,565 | (23.8％) | 183,057 | (15.2％) | 84,814 | (7.0％) | 42,069 | (3.5％) | 7,612 | (0.6％) | |
| Gyeonggi Gyeonggi-do Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946... |
2,603,443 | (51.9％) | 1,181,936 | (23.6％) | 670,742 | (13.4％) | 354,492 | (7.1％) | 144,830 | (2.9％) | 30,513 | (0.6％) | |
| Gangwon Gangwon-do (South Korea) Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:... |
376,004 | (52.0％) | 136,668 | (18.9％) | 127,102 | (17.6％) | 42,552 | (5.9％) | 28,129 | (3.9％) | 6,085 | (0.8％) | |
| Chungcheong Chungcheong Chungcheong was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Chungcheong was located in the southwest of Korea... |
Daejeon Daejeon Daejeon is South Korea's fifth largest metropolis and the provincial capital of Chungnam. Located in the center of the country, Daejeon had a population of over 1.5 million in 2010. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway. Within the... |
246,008 | (36.3％) | 159,700 | (23.6％) | 195,957 | (28.9％) | 48,143 | (7.1％) | 17,207 | (2.5％) | 7,223 | (1.1％) |
| Chungcheongbuk Chungcheongbuk-do Chungcheongbuk-do is a province in the centre of South Korea. It was formed in 1896 from the northeastern half of the former Chungcheong province... |
289,499 | (41.6％) | 165,637 | (23.8％) | 162,750 | (23.4％) | 39,884 | (5.7％) | 25,285 | (3.6％) | 7,965 | (1.1％) | |
| Chungcheongnam Chungcheongnam-do Chungcheongnam-do or Chungnam is a province in the west of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the south-western half of the former Chungcheong Province and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, thereafter becoming part of South Korea... |
313,693 | (34.3％) | 192,999 | (21.1％) | 304,259 | (33.2％) | 43,383 | (4.7％) | 32,132 | (3.5％) | 22,592 | (2.5％) | |
| Honam Honam Honam is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to North and South Jeolla Provinces.... （Jeolla Jeolla Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island... ） |
Gwangju Gwangju Gwangju is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister... |
56,875 | (8.6％) | 527,588 | (79.8％) | 22,520 | (3.4％) | 31,524 | (4.8％) | 13,597 | (2.1％) | 7,118 | (1.1％) |
| Jeollabuk Jeollabuk-do Jeollabuk-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Jeolla province, and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea... |
86,149 | (9.0％) | 777,236 | (81.6％) | 34,630 | (3.6％) | 26,573 | (2.8％) | 18,139 | (1.9％) | 6,550 | (0.7％) | |
| Jeollanam Jeollanam-do Jeollanam-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Jeolla province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea... |
88,834 | (9.2％) | 757,309 | (78.7％) | 34,790 | (3.6％) | 31,289 | (3.2％) | 23,178 | (2.4％) | 23,074 | (2.4％) | |
| Yeongnam Yeongnam Yeongnam is the name of a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province in what is now South Korea.... （Gyeongsang Gyeongsang Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea.... ） |
Busan Busan Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world... |
1,018,715 | (57.9％) | 236,708 | (13.5％) | 346,319 | (19.7％) | 94,258 | (5.4％) | 48,901 | (2.8％) | 4,599 | (0.3％) |
| Ulsan Ulsan Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the... |
279,891 | (54.0％) | 70,736 | (13.6％) | 90,905 | (17.5％) | 28,605 | (5.5％) | 43,607 | (8.4％) | 1,884 | (0.4％) | |
| Daegu Daegu Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the... |
876,719 | (69.4％) | 75,932 | (6.0％) | 228,199 | (18.1％) | 50,514 | (4.0％) | 25,777 | (2.0％) | 1,847 | (0.1％) | |
| Gyeongsangbuk Gyeongsangbuk-do Gyeongsangbuk-do or shortly Gyeongbuk is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea.The Gyeongsangbuk-do Office is... |
1,033,957 | (72.6％) | 96,822 | (6.8％) | 195,526 | (13.7％) | 47,345 | (3.3％) | 39,327 | (2.8％) | 3,823 | (0.3％) | |
| Gyeongsangnam Gyeongsangnam-do Gyeongsangnam-do is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Changwon. It contains the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. Located there is UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana and attracts many... |
843,662 | (55.0％) | 189,463 | (12.4％) | 329,486 | (21.5％) | 73,893 | (4.8％) | 82,645 | (5.4％) | 4,935 | (0.3％) | |
| Jeju Jeju-do Jeju-do is the only special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946... |
96,495 | (38.7％) | 81,570 | (32.7％) | 37,495 | (15.0％) | 19,421 | (7.8％) | 10,954 | (4.4％) | 1,674 | (0.7％) | |
Other Information
On April 7th, 2011, a National Intelligence ServiceNational Intelligence Service (South Korea)
The National Intelligence Service is the chief intelligence agency of South Korea. The agency was officially established in 1961 as the Korea Central Intelligence Agency , during the rule of President Park Chung-hee's military Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, which displaced the...
agent was guilty of investigating Lee Myung-bak's secret real estate-related information before the election.
External links
- Official Homepage of the National Election Commission
- Official Homepage of the NEC
- Official list of candidates Chosunilbo, 27 November 2007
- Candidate profiles The Korea Times, 9 December 2007
- Korea Society Podcast: 24 Hours After South Korea's Presidential Election: An Assessment