ropean civil law
systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kim Dae-jung (since 25 February 1998)
head of government: Acting Prime Minister KIM Chong-p'il (since 3
March 1998)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
term; election last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held 18 December
2002); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's
recommendation
election results: Kim Dae-jung elected president; percent of vote-Kim
Dae-jung (NCNP) 40.3%, YI Hoe-chang (GNP) 38.7%, YI In-che (NPP) 19.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NKP 139,
NCNP 79, ULD 50, DP 15, independents 16; note-the distribution of
seats as of February 1998 was GNP 165, NCNP 78, ULD 43, NPP 8,
independents 4, vacant 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the
president subject to the consent of the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Grand National Party (GNP), CHO Sun,
president; National Congress for New Politics (NCNP), Kim Dae-jung,
president; United Liberal Democrats (ULD), PAK Tae-chun, president;
New People's Party (NPP), YI In-che, president
note: subsequent to the legislative election of April 1996 the
following parties disbanded-New Korea Party (NKP) and Democratic Party
(DP)

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

International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS
(pending member), CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNO