South Korea’s Ruling Party Loses Majority in Parliamentary Elections

South Korea’s conservative Saenuri ruling party has failed to secure victory in parliamentary elections, losing its majority in the 300-seat parliament, local media reports say.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – The governing party gained 122 seats, while the opposition Minjoo Party (formerly the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, or NPAD) got 123 seats, South Korea’s national KBS broadcaster said citing data from a 99.9% vote count.

The parliamentary elections in South Korea have been described as a "litmus test" of public opinion ahead of the 2017 presidential elections. The single 5-year term of South Korea’s current President Park Geun-hye ends early in 2018 and she is constitutionally barred from seeking reelection.

Park’s rule has been marked by deteriorating relations with North Korea, canceled inter-Korean economic cooperation projects and intensified military exercises with the United States.