1979 South Korean presidential election

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1979 South Korean presidential election
Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg
  1978 6 December 1979 1980  

2,560 members of the National Conference for Unification
1,281 votes needed to win
  Choi Kyu Hah.png
Nominee Choi Kyu-hah
Party Independent
Electoral vote2,465

1979 South Korean election.svg
Votes of the National Conference for Unification
  Choi Kyu-hah: 2465
  Invalid/Blank: 84
  Did not vote: 11

President before election

Choi Kyu-hah (Acting)
Independent

Elected President

Choi Kyu-hah
Independent

Presidential elections were held in South Korea on 6 December 1979 following the assassination of Park Chung Hee on 26 October. The members of the National Conference for Unification, who among other things, were responsible for election of president, choose Prime Minister Choi Kyu-hah as the President of the Republic of Korea unopposed; Choi had been acting President since Park's death. [1]

Contents

President Choi was supposed to serve for the remainder of late President Park's term, which would have ended in 1984. However, a coup d'état took place six days after the elections, with Chun Doo-hwan seizing power. He allowed Choi to remain in power for eight months, before being elected president in August 1980.

Results

In order to be elected, a candidate had to receive the vote of over 50% of the incumbent members of the National Conference for Unification. With 2,560 delegates present, Choi had to receive at least 1,281 votes to be elected. He received 2,465 votes, 96.29% of the total possible.

CandidatePartyVotes%
Choi Kyu-hah Independent2,465100.00
Total2,465100.00
Valid votes2,46596.70
Invalid/blank votes843.30
Total votes2,549100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,56099.57

By region

RegionTurnout%Eligible electorsVacannciesTotal
Seoul 38899.493901391
Busan 14499.311450145
Gyeonggi 3181003181319
Gangwon 14898.671501151
North Chungcheong 1301001301131
South Chungcheong 2321002323235
North Jeolla 20099.012021203
South Jeolla 30999.363111312
North Gyeongsang 36999.463718379
South Gyeongsang 2841002846290
Jeju 2710027027
Total2,54999.572,560232,583

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References

  1. Asia Watch Committee (1986). Human Rights in Korea. p. 31.