South Korea's President Yoon says he "humbly" accepts the will of the people following his party's landslide election defeat last week. The loss by the People Power Party is seen as his toughest challenge yet.

Seoul

South Korea's opposition has achieved a significant victory in the recent elections, marking a landslide defeat for President Yoon's party, the People Power Party. The President has publicly stated that he "humbly" accepts the will of the people, acknowledging the magnitude of his party's loss. This electoral outcome is perceived as President Yoon's most severe challenge since taking office.



Overwhelming election win for opposition in South Korea

Six days after voters gave the opposition a resounding election victory over the President's People Power Party, Yoon Sung-yeol broke his silence. We will continue our reform drives over labor, education, pension and the medical system and listen to reasonable opinions. The government will need to fulfill its responsibilities while cooperating more closely with the National Assembly. His words fell short of the apology the Democratic Party was looking for. But they'll stay in the driver's seat with the power to reject Yoon's legislative agenda over the next three years. The opposition bloc won nearly two-thirds of seats in the National Assembly. Many view Yoon's landslide loss as the people's judgment against his uncompromising leadership style. We'd hoped the results of this election would shift the Yoon government's stance, but his remark was a unilateral declaration to continue the non-communicative politics of his office as before without any introspection. This was an election so driven by the anger of a disenchanted public that the election watchdog banned green onions from polling booths that followed a media appearance by the President meant to highlight falling vegetable prices. It went viral for being out of touch, just as controversies involving the First Lady remain. As prices continue to rise, hospitals across the country remain under pressure. A third month of a strike by thousands of junior doctors is about to begin. A presidential aide told reporters the President did apologize for failing to manage the people's expectations and suggested he's not ruled out meeting with the leader of the parliamentary majority party, Lee Jae-myung. With the President's party now in emergency mode, it remains to be seen how Yoon will work with the Democrats, whose support he will need to confirm a new prime minister after several senior presidential aides submitted their resignations last week. Eunice Kim, Al Jazeera, Seoul.

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Council of the City of Sydney

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