What does the result mean for the Yoon administration?
Dr Jong Eun Lee, assistant professor of political science at North Greenville University, said voters have chosen to hold the ruling party and Mr Yoon more accountable.
He added: “A lot of South Korean voters seem to have been frustrated that President Yoon seems to always emphasise his legal (and) political principles, and is not willing to find the middle ground or negotiate compromise.”
The resounding electoral defeat “confirms the people’s discontent with the Yoon Suk-yeol government and their performance for the last two years,” Prof Shin, who is also director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, told CNA’s Asia First on Thursday.
“And now facing a larger opposition in the parliament, it’s a big challenge for Yoon and his government to run the country for the next three years.”
However, President Yoon can still exercise his veto power of parliament Bills.
“So what will happen is that the opposition will probably keep passing Bills, and be more aggressive in pushing for their policy agendas. And Yoon may have to continue to veto and there’ll be some stalemates,” said Prof Shin.
“Then it’s very hard to implement any policy reform or agenda in this kind of situation. It’s likely to continue in the coming three years.”
Mr Yoon, who took office in May 2022, has already vetoed nine contentious Bills passed by the DP, including one for a special counsel investigation into his wife and First Lady Kim Keon-hee’s alleged involvement in stock manipulation.
Dr Lee told CNA938 on Thursday that the opposition party will renew their efforts to investigate President Yoon’s government.
“In the next three years, will he continue to exercise his veto power against the National Assembly?” said Dr Lee.
“He could, but what would be the public reaction? Would they blame the National Assembly, or would they blame the president for continuing to block the laws passed by the National Assembly?
“So that’s going to be a burden that President Yoon would have to think about for every single legislation passed by the National Assembly they oppose.”
Source: CNA
