South Korea's ruling party lost two key contests in parliamentary elections, which could hamper President Lee Myung-bak's efforts to win approval for his business-friendly reforms for Asia's fourth largest economy. Analysts said Thursday's results from by-elections for five parliamentary seats could embolden the left-leaning opposition to look for ways to derail Lee's reform agenda.
The main opposition Democratic Party decisively won two crucial contests in districts around Seoul and a rural seat in Wednesday's poll, but that did not dent the solid majority in the unicameral National Assembly for the GNP, which won two races in stronghold areas.
"It would be excessive for the Democratic Party to try to turn the results into some kind of judgement against this administration." the conservative Dong-a Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial.
Hopes were high inside the GNP that it would pick up more than two seats, with voters saying this week that they were more upbeat about the economy than they had been in nearly eight years, according to a central bank survey. Lee told top economic officials on Thursday that voters had sent a message that the government should step up creating jobs. His raft of reforms includes measures on job creation and a smooth exit from the massive fiscal stimulus spending of the past year. He has seen many plans delayed in parliament despite his GNP's majority.
In a move that could lead to fresh conflict in parliament, the Constitutional Court said on Thursday a vote in parliament in which Lee's conservative Grand National Party (GNP) approved a law that would ease media ownership provisions was problematic, but did not strike it down.
LABOUR LAWS Lee, a former construction boss, wants to change labour laws to allow employers to keep temporary workers longer to improve labour market flexibility and stop wage payments to workers who devote all their activities to union work.
The opposition party is gearing up for a tough fight in parliament, saying the election outcome was a mandate to check the GNP's "unbridled arrogance". "It is a warning from the voters to politicians who have no fear of the people," the Democratic Party said in a statement.
The Democrats vowed to fight some of Lee's ambitious plans that include a massive green growth project to clean up four major rivers, saying it is a scheme to pour concrete that will do more harm to the environment than good. Lee's support rating has risen to more than 50 percent in some polls as South Korea showed signs of being one of the first developed countries to emerge from the global slowdown, bolstered by strong GDP data this week.
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