Opposition to secure over 190 of 300 National Assembly seats

Members of the Democratic Party of Korea cheer after joint exit poll results for South Korea's parliamentary elections were released on April 10. [YONHAP PHOTO]

SEOUL, April 11 (AJU PRESS) - The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has secured at least 174 of 300 seats in South Korea's 22nd parliamentary elections with the counting of ballots for proportional representative seats still underway as of 8 a.m., Thursday.

The ruling People Power Party won in 90 constituencies, and its affiliated People Future Party secured 18 proportional seats. The Rebuilding Korea Party led by former Justice Minister Cho Kuk grabbed 12 proportional seats, and other minor parties shared the remaining three seats.

This major victory for the opposition side is expected to create a major upheaval in the nation's political landscape with President Yoon Suk Yeol still having three years to finish his five-year term. The ruling party's defeat is likely to weigh on Yoon, who is largely forecast to become an early lame duck.

Approximately 29.66 million people, representing 66.2 percent of South Korea's 44.28 million voters, participated in the 22nd parliamentary elections through a total of 14,259 polling stations across the country. This year's general elections showed the highest-ever voting rate of 67 percent compared to the previous record-high of 66.2 percent in the 2020 general elections.