SEOUL, June 1 (UPI) -- South Korea's conservative opposition party won a landslide victory in local elections on Wednesday, pushing President Roh Moo-hyun deeper into a political trouble caused by a series of political wrangling and a prolonged economic slump.
The local elections, which determined 16 mayors and provincial governors, 230 chiefs of smaller administrative districts and 3,621 members of local councils, were widely seen as a barometer for next year's presidential election.
The main opposition Grand National Party won mayoral posts in six of seven major cities, including the capital Seoul, the country's second and third cities of Busan and Daegu and the western port of Incheon as vote-counting is close to ending, according to the country's television networks.
The party also captured six of nine provincial governorships, ousting the ruling Uri Party from a key populous province surrounding Seoul. It clinched more than two thirds of seats in smaller districts and councils.
The Uri Party founded by President Roh suffered a humiliating defeat, capturing only one governor post in its traditional political base of North Jeolla Province.
The minor opposition Democratic Party grabbed two major posts in its traditional power turf, while an independent won a one seat on the southern island of Jeju Province.
Voter turnout was 51.3 percent, a little higher than the previous local polls, according to the National Election Commission.
"I accept the results (of the exit poll) in the most modest manner," said Uri chief Chung Dong-young, a presidential hopeful and former unification minister. "As the party's leader, I will take full responsibility for the results," he said.
Experts say the GNP's overwhelming victory was partly backed by nationwide sympathy for its female leader wounded in a knife assault. Park Geun-hye, GNP chairwoman, was slashed in her face at a crowded campaign rally for the elections earlier this month.
The attack by an Uri Party supporter triggered widespread sympathy for Park as her parents had been victims of political violence. Her father, former President Park Chung-hee, was assassinated in 1979 by his right-hand man and intelligence chief. Her mother was killed by a North Korean agent during an assassination attempt on her husband at a speech on Liberation Day in 1974.
Park Geun-hye, who has emerged as leader of the opposition party on the back of strong support from the conservatives, is one of front-runners among presidential hopefuls in the 2007 election.
Sohn Ho-chol, a political science professor at Sogang University in Seoul said the elections results reflect the public discontents about the Roh government's mismanagement of state affairs and economic troubles, noting it would deliver a major blow to President Roh's push for reforms and reconciliation with North Korea.
The local polls have been considered as crucial to the fate of Roh's party, which has suffered crushing defeats in a series of elections in recent years. On the basis of a possible victory in the local elections, Roh wanted to seek a constitutional amendment to pave the way for reforms in the next administration.
In hope of capturing more seats in the elections, Roh mobilized high-profile Cabinet ministers for the political showdown despite a public outcry.
Chin Dae-je stepped down as information and communication minister to stand for the seat of Gyeonggi governor, but suffered a crushing defeat, losing much of his sheen as the country's technology czar.
Chin, former chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics' digital media network, was nicknamed "Mr. Chip" or "Mr. Digital" for his business acumen in the semiconductor operations of the country's technology giant.
Former Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Oh Keo-don also failed to win the mayoral seat in Busan, President Roh's hometown. Lee Jae-yong who resigned as environment minister also failed to win the mayoral seat in Daegu.
Former Justice Minister, Kang Kum-sil, who was once popular, was also defeated over GNP candidate Oh Se-hoon in the showdown for Seoul mayor, widely viewed as the centerpiece of the local elections.
The defeat is ironic because Roh has focused his three-year presidency on "balanced regional development," pushing for relocating two-thirds of government ministries to the country's central area, about 100 miles south of Seoul.
Roh originally planned to relocate the country's capital out of Seoul as one of his campaign pledges to woo votes from rural people. The ambitious plan was scrapped as the Constitutional Court ruled it unconstitutional, which forced Roh to scale back the plan.
Roh's reconciliatory North Korea policy is also expected to face strong opposition. The GNP has long maintained a pro-U.S. and anti-communist stance, accusing Roh's North Korea policy as "appeasement." It has also called for an end to unconditional economic aid to the North in line with the Bush administration.
North Korea has campaigned to help Roh's party win the local elections in the hopes of benefiting from its cross-border reconciliation policy which emphasizes massive economic aid.
The North's state-run media have called for South Koreans to vote against the GNP, insisting its victory would help the United States increase its influence in the South.
Analysts in Seoul say North Korea is concerned that the South's anti-communist party takes power in presidential election in December next year.
