Pro-president party ahead in South Korea

The pro-government Uri Party took a majority in South Korea’s hotly contested parliamentary elections today.

The Uri Party, which backs impeached President Roh Moo-hyun, took between 142 and 188 seats in the 299-member National Assembly to edge its top rival, the conservative Grand National Party, KBS network news said from Seoul.

MBC news said the Uri Party claimed between 155 and 171 seats, while SBS said Uri took between 157-182 seats.

The Grand National Party was forecast between 87-129 seats, according to KBS. SBS said it would win between 92 and 114. MBC forecast the GNP seats between 101-115 seats.

The forecasts point to South Korea’s first liberal-dominated parliament in four decades and strengthened the hand of suspended President Roh while the Constitutional Court rules on whether to uphold the March 12 impeachment or overturn it and restore his executive powers.