South Koreans go to the polls for parliamentary election in test for President Yoon

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a crucial test Wednesday, as voters go to the polls for a parliamentary election that could determine whether he becomes a lame duck for his remaining three years in office.

In the months ahead of the election, the conservatives supporting Yoon and their liberal rivals exchanged toxic rhetoric and mudslinging. Regardless of the results, Yoon will stay in power, but if his People Power Party fails to regain a parliamentary majority it could set back Yoon’s agenda and further intensify conservative-liberal fighting.

Since taking office in 2022 for a single five-year term, Yoon, a former top prosecutor, has been grappling with low approval ratings and a liberal opposition-controlled parliament that has limited his major policy platforms.

Pre-election surveys indicate that the liberal opposition parties are well placed to maintain or boost their control of the single-chamber, 300-member National Assembly. But observers said that there’s room for an upset as many districts were being closely fought and many moderate voters would make last-minute choices.

“What would matter to the People Power Party is whether it can become the biggest party or the second biggest party,” said Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership. “If his party loses the election, Yoon will find it difficult to move forward even a single step on state affairs.”

Of the 300 seats, 254 will be elected through direct votes in local districts, and the other 46 to the parties according to their proportion of the vote. Election observers say candidates in about 50 to 55 local districts are in neck-and-neck races.

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