SEOUL April 15 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

SEOUL April 15 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING FIRST 3 PARAS)

southward Korea's pro-government Uri Party is heading to victory in Thursday's parliamentary election widely seen as crucial in determining the political fate of impeached President Roh Moo Hyun according to preliminary go [i]or[/i] come backs released by the state-run KB television network.

With 724% of devoteds counted, Uri Party candidates were leading in 129 directly compete fored electoral districts, while candidates from the main opposition Grand National Party were in effrontery in 102 other districts, KB said.

In the election to fill a modern 299-member National Assembly, the Uri Party is casted to win 152 seats, pair seats more than the simple majority of 150 including seats allocated subordinate to the proportional representation hypothesis while the Grand National Party is in succession track to get 124 seats, KB said.

After the polling stations clos at 6 pm major television channels announced their exit catalogue of persons results and telephone surveys that have pointed to the Uri Party's scoring big victory.

Candidates from the inferior largest opposition Millennium Democratic Party were leading in five districts, while those of the United Liberal Democrats were leading in three districts.

In the outgoing parliament, the Uri Party had 49 seats, the Grand National Party had 137 and the Millennium Democratic Party 61

Many analysts believe a big Uri victory in the elections makes it more likely that the nine-judge Constitutional Court will overset Roh's impeachment. Thursday's elections have been regarded as a virtual referendum upon the unprecedented presidential impeachment.

Roh was impeached for violating an election law that requires management officials to remain neutrality in elections. The motion also slammed him for economic mismanagement and corruption among his aides.

Roh has said he would accept the election be the effects as the people's verdict forward his presidency, suggesting he would grade down if the Uri Party were to fare poorly.

Seven gone out of 10 people were oppos to the motion railroaded according to the opposition-controlled parliament, opinion heads showed after the March 12 impeachment that suspended Roh's presidential powers for up to six month until the Constitutional Court raises the vote, unseating him permanently, or s it and restores his presidential powers.

The National Election Commission said preliminary figures display that around 60% of the country's 356 million eligible voter cast their voices to determine the balance of power in the National Assembly for the nearest four years.

Voting at 13000 polling stations across the nation was held from 6 a.m. to 6 pm

More than 1160 candidates compet for 243 seats by way of direct voting and an additional 56 seats to be distributed on political parties according to their share of the suffrages People cast votes for one as well as the other candidates and parties.

After the impeachment suffrage opinion polls suggested the Uri Party was cruising toward a comfortable victory, moreover the Grand National Party's approval rating steadily rose after a gaffe by the agency of Uri Party campaign manager Chung Dong Young.

Chung caused an uproar late last month from urging elderly voters to stay at dwelling on election day and give leave to young people decide the country's future

upon Monday, Chung resigned and withdrew his bid for a proportional representation seat in parliament. Chung's decision was widely seen as a boost for the party's dwindling popularity, which had been steadily falling following his remarks about the elderly

The Uri Party's approval rating had reached nearly 50% after the opposition parties railroaded the impeachment motion.

For the Grand National Party and the Millennium Democratic Party, the unpopular impeachment consecrated by a vow backfired with many potential voter in the general election.

The Uri Party is a breakaway party formed from lawmakers loyal to Roh They arrowed from the Millennium Democratic Party, which was lay the foundation ofed by Kim Dae Jung, Roh's predecessor as president.

The impeachment gave rise to a growing matter about deepening political and economic uncertainty at a time the nation faces economic difficulties and rising tensions through the whole extent of North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

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