
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 25, 1992                   TAG: 9203250134
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA                                  LENGTH: Short

S. KOREANS OUST RULING PARTY

President Roh Tae-woo's conservative party acknowledged Wednesday that it suffered a surprise defeat in general elections and failed to retain majority control of Parliament.

The election reflected strains in the government's traditional alliance with big business. The powerful founder of the Hyundai Corp., Chung Ju-yung, who formed a party just one month ago and campaigned to stop government meddling in business, won 25 seats.

The election outcome was not expected to affect South Korea's approach to talks with North Korea about possible reunification. It could lead to more pressure on the government to speed up political reforms, however.

With 99 percent of the votes counted for National Assembly elections, Roh's Democratic Liberals led in 115 of the 237 single-member districts, four seats short of a majority, KBS Television said.

To form a government, Roh's party is likely to try to merge with an opposition group or entice independent candidates into its fold.

Candidates of opposition leader Kim Dae-jung's group led in 75 districts, and the month-old Unification National Party founded by Chung had 25 winners, KBS said. The 76-year-old Chung had promised fresh leadership and harshly criticized government policies.

by CNB