25 May 2004);
Deputy Prime Ministers HAN Duck-soo (14 March 2005), KIM Jin-pyo
(since 28 January 2005), and OH Myung (since 18 October 2004)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year
term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in
February 2008); prime minister appointed by president with consent
of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
on prime minister's recommendation
election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH
Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP)
48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats - members elected
for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by
proportional representation
elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;
byelections held on 30 April 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP
3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 146, GNP 125, DLP 10, DP
9, ULD 3, independents 6
note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party
reflect results of 2005 byelections involving six seats; MDP became
DP in May 2005 (2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of
National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by
president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief
Justice of the court)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung, chairwoman];
Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap, chairman]; Grand National
Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye, chairwoman]; United Liberal Democrats
or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman]; Uri Party [MOON Hee-sang, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of
Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association;
National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of
Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National
Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IB