They're very soon...for those who don't know, Hanguk is holding parliamentary elections on April 13. Who is everyone for? I am for probably the new Folk's Group team (don't worry, it's not communist). They're doing really well for such a new group, 20 seats in the National Gathering, hopefully we can topple Moo-sung.

Basic guide to the elections:

Korean government
*300 seats in the National Gathering.
*Every 5 years, there is the presidential election (next will be in 2017).
*Every 4 years, there is the National Gathering election (next will be tomorrow).
*It's illegal to do politic polling on election week, so all the newest polls are in April 7.
*This election is based on the new Congressional redrawing in which the New Frontier and the Democratic Union compromised on (no mainstream gerrymandering, totally...)
*This election is leaving out a now-banned group, the Unified Progressive Group, on (unproven) charges of overthrowing the government and paving the way for Korean unification under Choson government. But all the group has advocated for is a more lax policy with North Korea. This is probably a New Frontier-ordered politic arrest...does not bode well for democracy.
**The UPG was also a leftist group, so it is forecasted that the Justice Group will have better luck this year, as it is the only significant socialist group left. After the UPG was eliminated, the Korean Trade Confederation (also known as the Bolshevik Federation) publically approved the Justice Group instead.
*On the other hand, the Democratic Union Group has grown more left this year, realising the gap, and it is theorised to take away votes from Justice Group.
*The split of the Folk from the Democratic Union, along with the ending of the UPG, is thought to give the New Frontier even more of an advantage this year.
**This advantage may get the National Gathering out of gridlock. Bills need 3/5 votes to pass, so, in effect, the New Frontier needs to win 180/300 seats. However, the New Frontier has been going down in popular polls, so it's anyone's game.

Korean electoral system
*Only 253 seats are actually being voted on, the other 47 will be a proportional copy of the 253 (I've no idea why they do this).
*In order to run for National Gathering, a fee of 15,000,000 원 is needed (13,000 $).
*Communist groups are barred from running, as well as any group deemed for-Choson (UPG got the bad side of this).
*Elections will finish at 9:00 GMT, April 13.
*Everyone must be 19+ years old to vote.
*Last election got a 54.3% voter turnout.

Campaign issues
*The New Frontier and Democratic Union clashed over Choson and national security. The New Frontier is for a hardline approach to Choson, with almost no interaction at all. The New Frontier has called the Democratic Union for-Choson as it supports re-opening the Kaesong Industrial Zone, an industrial zone co-operated by Choson and Hanguk governments.
*Almost all the groups except for the New Frontier agree that the American military bases need to be taken out.
*The New Frontier was trying to make reformations where worker contracts could be more flexible. This has been called by the Democratic Union as taking away worker rights.
*Currently, gay marriage is not allowed in Hanguk, with the New Frontier chairfellow calling it "an outrage against humanity" and calling the Democratic Union as being radic advocates of gayness. The Christian Liberal Group agreed, with their chairfellow saying voters need to "shield our families from gayness and Muslims". Hanguk has a 0.2% Muslim population (35,000), about the same proportion of Japan (185,000; 0.1%) and Mexico (110,000; 0.1%).

New Frontier Group (Grand National Group until 2008).
*Has the relative majority seats in the National Gathering since 2008.
*Now, 146/292 in the National Gathering seats are New Frontier.
*Has held the presidency since 2007. According to government sources, Park Geun-hye had 51.6% the popular vote in the 2012 presidency, winning with a margin of 3.6% against Democratic United Group's Moon Jae-in.
*Stands for middle conservatism.
*Gallup Polls show it as number 1, with 39% vote and 18% lead against the Democratic Union.
*Has some controversy. Those opposed to the current president were barred from running as parliamentary leader, and some are running independently.

Democratic Union Group (New Politic Alliance for Democracy Group until 2015, also, not to be confused with Democratic Group, another politic group)
*New, founded in March 2014, formed out of a merger of two politic groups.
*Now, 102/292 in the National Gathering are Democratic Union.
*Hasn't had a chance in the presidential elections nor National Gathering elections yet. The only grounds they're in parliament is from a schism of an earlier politic group.
*Stands for centrist liberalism.
*Gallup Polls show it as number 2, with 21% vote.

Folk's Group.
*Even newer, founded in February 2016.
*Has two chairfolk instead of one, since that's cool.
*Again, formed out of a split with the Democratic Union Group.
*Now, 21/292 seats in the National Gathering are Folk's Group.
*Of course, hasn't had a chance yet in presidential elections.
*Stands for reformist liberal centrism.
*Gallup Polls show it as number 3, with 14% vote.

Justice Group.
*New, founded in 2012 out of split of another group.
*Now, holds 5/300 seats in the National Gathering.
*Of course, hasn't had a chance yet in presidential elections.
*Stands for middle socialism.
*Gallup Polls show it as number 4, with 5% vote.

That's really it, the other 2 politic groups in parliament have 2 members, and then there are the group-independent, and 8 empty seats, totalling 300.

Edited 4/13/2016 02:31:04

Hangukar National Gathering elections are going on right now.

The official name is "Korean Republic".

tl;dr why is this interesting?

tl;dr why is this interesting?

Why is American election interesting? An old-ocracy with, yeah, some controversial things said, but nothing that outrageous. Don't be Americentric.

This is happening right now.

In Hanguk, folk literally fought with their fists in the National Gathering, the last time was in 2013, I think, and the New Frontier has called gayness as an "outrage to humanity". What's the closest there is to that in America?

Edited 4/13/2016 02:41:13

Ok I guess this is an event of interest.

New Frontier has called gayness as an "outrage to humanity". What's the closest there is to that in America?

Sounds like Westboro Baptist Church or the Imam of London.

When I heard Imam of London I thought of Colonel.

Colonel is the poster boy of 'moderate' Islam on Warlight.

I can't tell you why Foreigners are so concerned about our elections, but honestly I care about them because they are really the only ones that affect me personally.

Xapy, have you read anything about the S. Korean youth actually becoming more anti-democracy? The south hasn't been democratic for very long, only around 20 years, so I think it may become a possibility that they become a dictatorship of some sort again. Any opinions m8?

I've read nothing of the kind. It's not too democratic as is, but I don't think folk, like in America, realise this, and I doubt they actually want dictatorships. You'd have to have a really traditionalist population for that; one that keeps on insisting to keep to their country and tradition; folk who would support their country even if it was wrong. I don't think Hangukars are those folk.

New Frontier has called gayness as an "outrage to humanity". What's the closest there is to that in America?

Sounds like Westboro Baptist Church or the Imam of London.

Those aren't politicians, I'm not asking for mad folk generally (Hanguk can compete on that scale, too, though Japan is even better about it). And this isn't even mad, there's been worse in Hanguk, but I'd have to look.

I can't tell you why Foreigners are so concerned about our elections, but honestly I care about them because they are really the only ones that affect me personally.

America is a weighty superpower, an economic power (number 1 importer) of kinds, and it gives some oppurtunity to talk about polit.

Edited 4/13/2016 03:22:44

So who is everyone for? I gave a basic description of each group's ideology.

Middle conservism, centrist liberalism, liberal centrism, or middle socialism?

Can't say with such short description but you know my general stances, so probably centrist liberal or liberal centrist.

Since I don't live in S. Korea a can't say for certain what the country needs, but given your information, I'd like the Democratic Union Group to win it.

America is a weighty superpower, an economic power (number 1 importer) of kinds, and it gives some oppurtunity to talk about polit.

Well there you go, answering your own question:

Why is American election interesting? An old-ocracy with, yeah, some controversial things said, but nothing that outrageous. Don't be Americentric.

Or maybe you're just being "Americentric" ;)

New Frontier guys

South Korea BEST KOREA!

Interesting thread. Always nice to hear about foreign politics once in awhile.

I'm basing this opinion off limited information, so take it with a grain of salt. But from what I know I'd probably support New Frontier if I was South Korean.

The resultats are in. Here they are, turnout was 58%.

*Democratic Union: 123/300 (25.5% popular vote)
*New Frontier: 122/300 (33.6%)
*Folk: 38/300 (26.7%)
*Justice: 6/300 (7.2%)
*Christian Liberal: 0/300 (2.6%)
*Democratic Group: 0/300 (0.9%)
*independent: 11/300

And the Christian Liberal group and Democratic Group (both earlier having 1 seat each) got 0 seats. Good riddance. Also, to put in in American polit:

Democratic Union = Democratic (USA)
New Frontier = Good Old (USA)
Folk = Right of Democratic (USA), but closer to Democratic (USA) than Good Old (USA).
Justice = Left of Democratic (USA).
Christian Liberal = Right of Good Old (USA)
Democratic Group = Democratic (USA)

Anyhow, good work, Koreans, for getting the antagonists out (Christian Liberal+New Frontier).