327. Editorial Note
On July 29 elections were held for the reconstituted South Korean National Assembly. Despite demonstrations that disrupted results in a limited number of districts, the elections were viewed by Embassy observers as “free and orderly,” and resulted in a sweeping victory for the Democratic Party. (Telegram 114 from Seoul, July 29; Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/7–2960) Final results from the 233 electoral districts established a commanding majority for the Democratic Party of 177 seats in the House of Representatives, while the Liberal Party shrunk to 12 seats. The remainder were scattered among a variety of minor parties, not one of which was strong enough to constitute a credible opposition. The Democratic Party also dominated the balloting for the new House of Councillors, with 31 of 58 seats and no significant opposition. (Memorandum from Bane to Parsons, September 1; ibid., FE/EA Files: Lot 63 D 168, K1.5 The House of Representatives)
The Democratic Party created its own opposition by splitting along “old” and “new” faction lines shortly after the election. Reports from the Embassy in Seoul indicated that the Democratic majority broke down in the House of Representatives into 83 members of the old faction, 79 members of the new faction, and 15 members who were difficult to classify. (ibid.) The legislature met for the first time after the elections on August 8, and the factional breakdown became evident in the election of officers. Paek Nak-jun (L. George Paik), an independent, was elected Chairman of the House of Councillors when old and new faction members of the Democratic Party could not agree on a candidate. (Telegram [Page 681] 159 from Seoul, August 8; ibid., Central Files, 795B.00/8–860) Temporary unity was achieved on August 11 when a joint session of the two houses elected Yun Po-sun, by a vote of 208 to 51, to the largely ceremonial position of President. (Telegram 180 from Seoul, August 11; ibid., 795B.00/8–1160) Yun, an old faction member of the Democratic Party, nominated Kim To-yon, another member of the same faction, to be Prime Minister, and the split widened again. Kim was narrowly defeated in a tense election in the House of Representatives by a vote of 112 to 111. (Telegram 201 from Seoul, August 17; ibid., 795B.00/8–1760) President Yun then nominated new faction leader Chang Myon as Prime Minister, and Chang was confirmed by the House of Representatives on August 19 by a margin of 117 to 107. (Telegram 215 from Seoul, August 19; ibid., 795B.13/8–1960) The factional tension within the Democratic Party was confirmed by the cabinet appointments announced by Chang Myon on August 23. Of the 14 cabinet positions, only 2 were designated for members of the old faction. (Telegram 228 from Seoul, August 23; ibid., 795B.00/8–2360) The ensuing political uproar led to the withdrawal of four new faction cabinet nominations and the appointment of four additional old faction members to the cabinet. (Telegram 327 from Seoul, September 12; ibid., 795B.13/9–1260)