1992 South Korean presidential election explained

Country:Republic of Korea
Flag Year:1984
Type:presidential
Previous Election:1987 South Korean presidential election
Previous Year:1987
Election Date:18 December 1992
Next Election:1997 South Korean presidential election
Next Year:1997
Turnout:81.89% (7.26pp)
Image1:Kim Young-sam presidential portrait.jpg
Nominee1:Kim Young-sam
Party1:Democratic Liberal Party (South Korea)
Popular Vote1:9,977,332
Percentage1:41.96%
Nominee2:Kim Dae-jung
Party2:Democratic Party (South Korea, 1991)
Popular Vote2:8,041,284
Percentage2:33.82%
Image4:Chung Ju-yung (Cropped).jpg
Nominee4:Chung Ju-yung
Party4:Unification National
Popular Vote4:3,880,067
Percentage4:16.32%
Party5:New Political Reform Party
Popular Vote5:1,516,047
Percentage5:6.38%
President
Before Party:Independent (politician)
After Election:Kim Young-sam
After Party:Democratic Liberal Party (South Korea)

Presidential elections were held in South Korea on 18 December 1992, the second democratic presidential elections since the end of military rule in 1987. Voter turnout was 81.9%.[1]

In the first regular presidential election with no military candidates since 1960, Kim Young-sam of the ruling Democratic Liberal Party won with 41 percent of the vote.

Background

On 22 January 1990 two opposition leaders Kim Young-sam and Kim Jong-pil merged their parties into the ruling party Democratic Justice Party to form the Democratic Liberal Party, led by President Roh Tae-woo. Before they merged, Roh's party did not have a majority in the National Assembly. After they merged, they had over a two-thirds majority, which could pass bills without any obstruction from the opposition. Roh could not run for re-election due to the constitution limiting the president to a single five-year term.

Kim Dae-jung, an opponent in the 1987 election who finished third behind Kim Young-sam and Roh Tae-woo ran again in 1992. Hyundai businessman Chung Ju-yung also ran in the election.

Nominations

Democratic Liberal Party

The Democratic Liberal Party national convention was held on 19 May at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena. Nine-term lawmaker from Busan Kim Young-sam won the nomination, defeating four-term lawmaker from Seoul Lee Jong-chan, who did not concede and ran as a third party candidate. Lee Jong-chan withdrew his campaign and endorsed RNP nominee Chung Ju-yung in December.[2]

3,331 delegates needed to win!Candidate!Delegates!%
Kim Young-sam4,41866.34
Lee Jong-chan2,21433.24
Invalid/blank votes280.42
Total6,660100%
Abstentions2223.23

Democratic Party

The Democratic National Convention was held from 25 to 26 May at the Olympic Fencing Gymnasium. At the convention, Kim Dae-jung, 6-term lawmaker from South Jeolla, defeated Lee Ki-taek, 7-term lawmaker from Busan, and won the nomination.

Of 2,426 delegates present at the convention, 1,443 had been from Kim's faction and only 983 from Lee's, so Kim was thought as the presumptive nominee even before the convention began.[3]

1,170 delegates needed to win!Candidate!Delegates!%
Kim Dae-jung1,41360.18
Lee Ki-taek92539.40
Invalid/blank votes100.43
Total2,338100%

Unification National Party

At the UNP National Convention held on 15 May at the KOEX in Seoul, Chung Ju-yung was nominated for president by a yay-nay rising vote.[4]

Rising Vote!Candidate!Delegates!%
For Chung Ju-yung1,72799.37
Against70.40
Abstention40.23

Results

The right-wing conservative Democratic Liberal Party presidential candidate Kim Young-Sam won the presidential election, defeating opposition Democratic Party leader Kim Dae-Jung, marking the third time he had lost a presidential election. Kim later announced his retirement from politics.

The conservative ruling party won the election continued to govern until 1997 when Kim Dae-Jung won the next presidential election.

By region

RegionKim Young-samKim Dae-jungChung Ju-yungPark Chan-jongBaek Gi-wanKim Ok-sunLee Byeong-ho
colspan="2"
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
Seoul2,167,29836.41bgcolor=bgcolor=1,070,62917.99381,5356.4167,7841.1413,0980.224,7970.08
Busanbgcolor=bgcolor=265,05512.53133,9076.33139,0046.5721,7361.033,2360.159780.05
Daegubgcolor=bgcolor=90,6417.83224,64219.40136,03711.7512,7721.102,7530.241,1030.10
Incheonbgcolor=bgcolor=338,53831.75228,50521.4384,2117.9012,4551.173,8670.361,3510.13
Gwangju14,5042.13bgcolor=bgcolor=8,0851.192,8270.421,5650.231,1490.171330.02
Daejeonbgcolor=bgcolor=165,06728.74133,64623.2764,52611.235,7721.002,2940.409610.17
Gyeonggibgcolor=bgcolor=1,103,49831.97798,35623.13239,1406.9336,3921.0513,6850.406,2990.18
Gangwonbgcolor=bgcolor=127,26515.52279,61034.0956,1996.859,5991.174,0070.493,0470.37
North Chungcheongbgcolor=bgcolor=191,74326.05175,76723.8868,9009.368,6711.184,5680.624,8440.66
South Chungcheongbgcolor=bgcolor=271,92128.55240,40025.2464,1176.7310,1851.079,8991.044,1430.43
North Jeolla63,1755.68bgcolor=bgcolor=35,9233.239,3200.844,2320.387,1300.641,0870.10
South Jeolla53,3604.20bgcolor=bgcolor=26,6862.107,2100.573,3110.268,0100.631,0480.08
North Gyeongsangbgcolor=bgcolor=147,4409.63240,64615.71124,8588.1517,6641.156,2400.413,3650.22
South Gyeongsangbgcolor=bgcolor=193,3739.24241,13511.52115,0865.5022,8631.095,0700.242,0200.10
Jejubgcolor=bgcolor=85,88932.9242,13016.1523,0778.853,6471.401,2860.495630.22
Totalbgcolor=bgcolor=8,041,28433.823,880,06716.321,516,0476.38238,6481.0086,2920.3635,7290.15
Source: National Election Committee

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Electoral Politics in South Korea. Croissant. Aurel. Friedrich Ebert Foundation. 266.
  2. Web site: 민자당 차기 대통령후보로 김영삼후보 결정[엄기영]]. 엄기영,백지연. imnews.imbc.com. 19 May 1992. ko. 2018-04-24.
  3. News: 김대중후보 60.2% 득표, 이기택대표는 39.4% 얻어. Maeil Business Newspaper. 2018-04-24. ko.
  4. Web site: 국민당 정주영 후보, 만장일치로 대통령 후보에 선출[조동엽]]. 엄기영,백지연. imnews.imbc.com. 15 May 1992. ko. 2018-04-24.