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South Korea ousts conservative parliament; impeached president may return to power and ties with North Korea may strengthen
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| Contributor | Gerald Farinas |
| Last Edited | Gerald Farinas Apr 15, 2004 03:35pm |
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| Category | News |
| News Date | Thursday, April 15, 2004 06:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | South Korea ousts conservative parliament; impeached president may return to power and ties with North Korea may strengthen
ABC News
South Korean voters broke the conservatives' four-decade grip on parliament Thursday, bringing to power a liberal party that opposed the president's impeachment and may seek closer ties to North Korea. The election completes a momentous shift in South Korean politics, where conservative-dominated legislatures have checked its few progressive presidents, including President Roh Moo-hyun. Thursday's win for Uri Party, which backs Roh, could strengthen his hand as the Constitutional Court decides whether to uphold his March 12 impeachment on charges of incompetence and illegal electioneering. It was South Korea's first impeachment since its founding in 1948. Many saw Thursday's vote as a referendum on Roh's rule and said an impressive Uri showing could persuade the Constitutional Court to rule in his favor. The impeachment suspended his powers until the court rules. Roh, who says he plans to join Uri, had pledged to resign as president if the party fared poorly.
"This election means that the political forces that have dominated South Korean politics for 44 years are forced to leave the stage," Uri chief Chung Dong-young said. The Uri Party and Roh believe economic cooperation with North Korea will encourage the communist country open up and ease tensions over its nuclear weapons programs. Uri may use its beefed-up position to push for more economic exchanges with the communist North. |
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