Candidate registration began Thursday for the South Korean parliamentary elections scheduled for April 10, a critical event that could shape the trajectory of President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration over its next three years.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the upcoming elections represent an opportunity for the Yoon administration, which has faced challenges advancing its agenda due to the opposition-controlled National Assembly. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has criticized the administration's performance, urging voters to hold it accountable in the elections.
A total of 300 National Assembly seats are being contested, with both the PPP and the DP aiming to secure a majority. The DP had previously won a landslide victory in the last elections. As the registration period commenced, 607 candidates had registered across 254 electoral districts, with the DP leading in the number of registered candidates. The official campaign period is slated to begin on March 28, following overseas voting and early voting sessions. The performance of newly formed minor parties, including those led by notable figures such as former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, is also under scrutiny.