Real Election, Real Democracy – Hidden Significance
2007-12-20
The result of this year's presidential election goes beyond a mere power transfer.
Despite the lack of a policy campaign, negative attacks, political apathy and cynicism, the latest election holds historic significance.
It was a "real election" demonstrating "real democracy."
It marked a historic turning point for the nation, showing that democracy has fully and irrevocably taken root in Korea.
Direct Elections and Power Transfers
Changes power via election may seem like a given, but in some countries this is not a normal occurrence.
And in many countries, the practice is a cherished feature of the democratic process realized after much bloodshed and long struggle.
It’s no different in Korea.
Democracy took a tortuous journey in Korea before the institution of direct public elections to choose a single-term president.
The June 1987 revolt led to the Constitutional amendment that instituted such elections, so their history goes back only 20 years.
This year’s election was the nation's fifth.
True Democracy Takes Root
True democracy has taken root in Korea.
Political scientists regard the occurrence of two power transfers in a state's election history as evidence of a full-blown democracy.
This year's presidential election marked the nation's second transfer of power.
But greater significance lies in how the power transfer came about; the most recent transfer of power via direct election shows that democracy has fully taken root in Korea.
Why two transfers of power?
It's conceivable that a state's first transfer of power could take place democratically but
through pressure on the ruling government: forces who take power in this way
aren't likely to give that power away.
But a second power transfer indicates an institutionalized election system enabling regular shifts of power.
Why is it significant this time around when the nation has seen several such transfers in the past?
Of course, there have been many changes of president in modern Korean history.
While this year's direct election was already the nation's fifth, the transfer involved not just a change in presidents but in ruling powers.
Of course, a new president is itself a sign of progress.
The changes in government since 1987 are as follows:
Power transfer in the narrow sense: a change in president
1987 election
Chun Doo-hwan → Roh Tae-woo
1992 election
Roh Tae-woo → Kim Young-sam
2002 election
Kim Dae-jung → Roh Moo-hyun
Power transfer in the broader sense: a new ruling power
1997 election 년
Kim Young-sam → Kim Dae-jung
2007 election
Roh Moo-hyun → Lee Myung-bak
Real Election
The "first" of anything is always significant, grabs attention and goes down as a record.
The 1997 election was hailed as the first true shift of power via peaceful direct election in Korean history.
The 2007 election resulted in another power transfer, an event no less significant than the 2002 election.
A transfer of power is impossible without the democratic will of the incumbent ruling power to abide by the result of a neutral election process. The current Roh Moo-hyun administration has made a historic contribution in that regard.
That is why this year’s election has been deemed a "real election."
President-elect
Grand National Party candidate Lee Myung-bak
Voting (National)
Eligible voters
37,653,518
Ballots cast
23,732,854
Ballots cast
63.0%
Votes
Lee Myung-bak (Grand National Party)
11,492,389 (48.7%)
Chung Dong-young (United New Democratic Party)
6,174,681 (26.1%)
Lee Hoi-chang (Independent)
3,559,963 (15.1%)
Moon Kook-hyun (Renewal of Korea Party)
1,375,498 (5.8%)
Kwon Young-ghil (Democratic Labor Party)
712,121 (3.0%)
Rhee In-je (Democratic Party)
160,708 (0.7%)
Huh Kyung-young (Economic Republican Party)
96,756 (0.4%)
Geum Min (Korea Socialist Party)
18,223 (0.1%)
Chung Kun-mo (All Masters' Alliance Party)
15,380 (0.1%)
Chun Kwan (“New Era True People Party”)
7,161 (0.0%)
Difference in votes between the winner and the runner-up
Chung Dong-young 
The result of this year's presidential election goes beyond a mere power transfer. 
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