ital:
Seoul
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (jikhalsi,
singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo,
Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-jikhalsi*, Kangwon-do,
Kwangju-jikhalsi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo,
Pusan-jikhalsi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-jikhalsi*, Taejon-jikhalsi*
Independence:
15 August 1948
Constitution:
25 February 1988
Legal system:
combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American
law, and Chinese classical thought
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 August (1948)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, State Council
(cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Kuk Hoe)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President ROH Tae Woo (since 25 February 1988)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister CHUNG Won Shik (since 24 May 1991); Deputy Prime Minister
CHOI Gak Kyu (since 19 February 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party:
Democratic Liberal Party (DLP), ROH Tae Woo, president, KIM Young Sam,
chairman; KIM Chong Pil and PAK Tae Chun, co-chairmen; note - the DLP
resulted from a merger of the Democratic Justice Party (DJP), Reunification
Democratic Party (RDP), and New Democratic Republican Party (NDRP) on 9
February 1990
opposition:
Democratic Party (DP), result of a merger of the New Democratic Party and
the Democratic Party formalized 16 September 1991; KIM Dae Jung, executive
chairman; LEE Ki Taek, executive chairman; several smaller parties
Suffrage:
universal at age 20
Elections:
President:
last held on 16 December 1987 (next to be held December 1992); results - ROH
Tae Woo (DJP) 35.9%, KIM Young Sam (RDP) 27.5%, KIM Dae Jung (PPD) 26.5%,
other 10.1%
National Assembly:
last held on 26 April 1988 (next to be held around March 1992); results -
DJP 34%, RDP 24%, PPD 19%, NDRP 15%, other 8%; seats - (296 total) DJP 125,
PPD 70, RDP 59, NDRP 35, other 10; note - on 9 February 1990 the DJP, RDP,
and NDRP merged to form the DLP; also the PPD, later renamed the NDP, merged
with another party to form the DP in September 1991. The distribution of
seats as of December 1991 was DLP 214, DP 72, independent 9, vacant 1

:Korea, South Government

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