South Korea ruling party, government reel after electoral drubbing

President Yoon vows to 'reform' handling of state affairs in wake of losses

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed through to "humbly accept the public's will" after his party lost ground in legislative elections. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and Reuters)

STEVEN BOROWIEC, Nikkei staff writer

April 11, 2024 15:21 JST

SEOUL -- A resounding electoral defeat for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's ruling People Power Party (PPP) sparked political upheaval on Thursday, with both the party's leader and Yoon's hand-picked prime minister tendering their resignations.

The conservative PPP suffered a shellacking in legislative polls held on Wednesday, with confirmed wins so far in just 90 directly elected seats, far behind the 161 of the main opposition Democratic Party's (DP). The results will give the left-leaning DP a decisive majority in the unicameral National Assembly for the remaining three years of President Yoon Suk Yeol's term.