This is my first shot at making a poll...

This question is geared toward the long-term expat and Koreans or anyone who is more familiar with recent Korean history, but anybody can vote that feels like it.

The question is - since the conservative, pro-US alliance GNP political party seems a lock to replace the "progressive" Roh Mun-Hyun presidency whose Uri Party was created after Roh's victory and broke apart at the start of this latest presidential election cycle:

Will a GNP victory be part of a lasting trend signaling a return to more conservative foreign policy - and away from the progressive camp?

P.S.

I'm not going to taint the poll by offering the reasons for my own vote, but feel free to add a message with your thinking.

I wanted to get a feel for how others thought on this issue.

I also wanted us to be able to see who is voting what - and I wanted to get a discussion going about it. I think it might be interesting to see how Koreans, GIs, non-GIs, people with much experience in Korea, and people with less experience think about it....

"A GNP Victory in 2007 Will Be a Sign of the Future in Korean Foreign Policy?" would be a more accurate question since victory or defeat in the ROK presidential election will come on December 19, 2007 and the new president and his administration will be the major determinant of ROK foreign policy following the Roh Administration. Not the National Assembly elections to be held in 2008.

Also, the Uri Party was not formed until after President Roh was elected in 2002. It is just over 3 years old.

Thanks for the corrections. I made the one on Uri's formation. With the presidential election of 2008, I had in mind the time in which the next president takes the oath - which is how I think of it here in the US was well - the president winning in the old year but not taking office until after the new one starts...

Thanks for the poll. I was glad to see a new and interesting poll question. You are right about the the next President not taking office until February 2008 but you can bet the victory celebrations will start for the winning candidate and his party as soon as the election results have been tallied and certified.

The National Assembly elections in 2008 will also be something worth following as well. The wartime OPCON transfer issue and other ROK-US alliance issues will likely get another look during the next Administration and National Assembly. Probably no major changes from what has already been agreed to but you can never tell. Especially, with a new US Administration coming into power in the US less than a year later.