[Politics, That Day...] The 'Magic of the Large Multi-member Constituency System' That Saved Minjungdang

Results of the 12th General Election under the Majoritarian Electoral System in Seoul
Minjungdang Vote Share 27.6%, Shinmindang 42.4%
Seats: Minjungdang 13, Shinmindang 14, Similar Numbers

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min]

Editor's Note‘Politics, That Day…’ is a series that looks back on Korean politics through the ‘recollection of memories’ related to notable scenes, events, and figures that deserve attention.

On June 1, 2022, officials are moving ballot boxes at the 8th Nationwide Local Elections counting center set up at Eunpyeong Multipurpose Gymnasium in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The 12th general election in 1985 was the most recent election held under the multi-member district system in Korean politics. For the following 28 years, general elections were held under the single-member district system instead of the multi-member district system. In January of this year, the introduction of the multi-member district system emerged as a focal point of interest in the political arena. The 12th general election serves as a case showing how the fortunes of the ruling and opposition parties could diverge if the multi-member district system were applied.

The 12th general election is recorded in political history as an election where the New Korean Democratic Party (Shinmin Party) created a political storm.

Another noteworthy point is that the multi-member district system became the savior that rescued the Democratic Justice Party (Minjung Party), the ruling party of the Chun Doo-hwan government, from the brink of a crushing defeat.

The Chun Doo-hwan government, which was launched through the so-called ‘gymnasium election,’ faced continuous public resistance due to issues of democracy and human rights suppression. At that time, the people were not given the right to elect the president and had no choice but to express their will through the election of National Assembly members.

The New Korean Democratic Party, formed in January 1985 by politicians Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam joining forces, led the public sentiment. Especially in major cities like Seoul and Busan, the new party Shinmin made significant advances.

The scene where the Democratic Justice Party became the second-largest party was unimaginable given the political situation at the time. The iron-fisted Chun Doo-hwan government did not tolerate such a result and pressured for the election to be conducted in a way favorable to the Democratic Justice Party.

As a result, the Shinmin Party had to contest the 12th general election on February 12, 1985, less than a month after its founding. Although there was insufficient time to prepare for the election, the public sentiment was intense.

The focus of attention was the results of the constituency elections. At that time, the electoral system awarded two-thirds of the national seats (currently proportional representation) to the party that ranked first in the constituencies nationwide. Securing more seats in the constituencies was absolutely advantageous.

Seoul held the largest number of constituency seats, with 28 seats allocated. Seoul was the region where the Shinmin Party’s wave was strongest. If the election had been held under the current single-member district system, where the candidate who ranks first in the constituency is elected, the Shinmin Party could have secured most of the constituency seats.

However, the 12th general election was variable because it adopted the multi-member district system.

Seoul was divided into 14 constituencies. Each constituency elected two members. Thus, 28 members of the National Assembly were elected from 14 constituencies. No matter how strong the Shinmin Party wave was, even candidates who ranked second in the constituencies were elected.

This was an important variable that influenced the election results. Even if public sentiment sharply tilted to one side, a landslide victory was impossible. The Shinmin Party had all 14 candidates who ran in Seoul’s 14 constituencies elected. The candidates’ average vote share reached 42.4%. Considering the characteristics of the multi-party election of the 12th general election, this is a high vote share.

On June 1, 2022, the day of the 8th nationwide local elections, voters are casting their precious votes at the Namgajwa 2-dong 2nd polling station set up at Luma Vertex in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The Democratic Justice Party candidates’ average vote share remained at 27.6%. Although there was a large difference in average vote share between the Shinmin Party and the Democratic Justice Party, the number of seats was not significantly different. The Shinmin Party took 14 seats in Seoul’s 14 constituencies. The Democratic Justice Party secured 13 seats, just one seat short. Only in Gangnam, Seoul, was there no Democratic Justice Party winner. In Gangnam, the Shinmin Party ranked first, and the Democratic Korea Party (Minhan Party) ranked second.

Jeong Nam, a Democratic Justice Party candidate who ran in Seoul’s 14th constituency (Gangdong District), was elected with only 24.4% of the vote. The Shinmin Party candidate Kim Dong-gyu, who ranked first in that constituency, received a remarkable 55.6%, the highest vote share among all Seoul candidates.

However, both Shinmin Party candidate Kim Dong-gyu and Democratic Justice Party candidate Jeong Nam, who had a 24.4% vote share, were elected in the Gangdong District constituency of the 12th general election. This was a magical gift that the multi-member district system gave to the Democratic Justice Party.

In the 12th general election held under the multi-member district system, the Democratic Justice Party won 87 constituency seats and 61 national seats, achieving a majority with 148 seats in the National Assembly. The Shinmin Party, which stirred a wave in the 12th general election, won 50 constituency seats and 17 national seats, totaling 67 seats.

Although the 12th general election ultimately ended in a victory for the Democratic Justice Party, it was an election where the Shinmin Party wave was so strong that it is regarded as a ‘revolution of public sentiment’ among all general elections. The voter turnout for the 12th general election reached 84.6%, the highest among all general elections since the 1960s. What would the results have been if the 12th general election had been held under the single-member district system, where the candidate who ranks first in the constituency is elected?

From the Democratic Justice Party’s perspective, it is a dizzying hypothetical scenario just to imagine.