South korea's former strongman, Park Chung-hee, did not really do elections. Yet his daughter has proven herself a master at them. Against predictions, Park Geun-hye's conservative Saenuri Party held on to the National Assembly on April nth, with a narrow two-seat majority. Just a month ago an overwhelming win for the main progressive opposition, the Democratic United Party (dup), seemed probable. Concerns about job security and inadequate welfare were growing. Meanwhile, President Lee Myung-bak's administration had been tainted by grubby scandals, and he had become a liability.
展开▼
