18th Term
Overview
In South Korea, the "18th term" (18대) generally refers to a political period designation covering the 18th National Assembly (May 30, 2008 – May 29, 2012), formed through the 2008 general election, and 18th President Park Geun-hye, who was elected in the 2012 presidential election and took office on February 25, 2013. This period spans the latter half of the Lee Myung-bak administration and the entire Park Geun-hye administration, and is assessed as a time when the conservative camp controlled both the executive and legislative branches. In particular, the 18th president drew great attention for being the first female president in South Korea's constitutional history and for the symbolism of a father–daughter pair of presidents.
Key Details
18th National Assembly (2008–2012)
The 18th National Assembly was formed through the 18th National Assembly election held on April 9, 2008. The Grand National Party secured 153 seats, winning a majority, followed by the United Democratic Party with 81 seats, the Liberty Forward Party with 18, the Pro-Park Alliance with 14, the Democratic Labor Party with 5, and the Creative Korea Party with 3, among others. With the ruling Grand National Party securing a majority on its own, it lent strength to the Lee Myung-bak administration's governance.
The 18th National Assembly went through major controversies, including the 2008 candlelight protests against the negotiations on importing U.S. beef, the 2009 Yongsan tragedy, and the forcible passage of media law revisions (the Newspaper Act and Broadcasting Act). In particular, the physical clashes over the budget bill in December 2008 and the 2009 media law's referral by the chair's authority and its railroading through passage are recorded as the peak of ruling–opposition conflict. In 2010 local elections and in 2011 by-elections were held, shaking up the political landscape.
The 18th Presidential Election and the Park Geun-hye Administration
In the 18th presidential election held on December 19, 2012, Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye defeated Democratic United Party candidate Moon Jae-in by about 1.08 million votes (51.56% to 48.02%) and was elected. Park Geun-hye took office on February 25, 2013, becoming the 18th president of South Korea.
The Park Geun-hye administration set forth "creative economy," "economic democratization," and "national happiness" as its governing principles, and went through controversy over its response to the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, the 2015 South Korea–Japan comfort women agreement, and state affairs turmoil after the April 2016 general election. Decisively, with the October 2016 revelation of the Choi Soon-sil state affairs manipulation scandal, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion on December 9 of that year, and on March 10, 2017, the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment, removing her from office. Accordingly, an early presidential election was held on May 9, 2017, in which candidate Moon Jae-in was elected, and the 18th president's term was cut short and ended prematurely for the first time in constitutional history.
Key Figures and Symbolism
18th President Park Geun-hye was a five-term National Assembly member and, during the 2012 presidential election, emphasized being a "prepared female president," securing a support base spanning generations and genders. However, she also left behind negative symbolism as the first president removed from office due to state affairs manipulation and as a president who was arrested and tried after impeachment. This became an important turning point for discussions of "impeachment" and "prosecutorial reform" in South Korean politics thereafter.
Recent Developments
As of 2024–2025, the term "18th term" is generally used in the context of retrospective political history. Many figures from the 18th National Assembly era are active as incumbent politicians, and former President Park Geun-hye has maintained political influence in the Daegu area since her release through a special pardon in December 2021. In the 2024 general election (22nd National Assembly) and the political situation as of 2025, analyses suggest that the ruling–opposition confrontation structure of the 18th National Assembly era is repeating, and the prosecution and Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) systems introduced after the impeachment remain at the center of debate. In addition, assessments continue that the impeachment of the 18th president served as a catalyst for civic interest in "presidential impeachment procedures" and "separation of powers" to become institutionally established.
Related Topics
- [[Park Geun-hye]]
- [[18th National Assembly]]
- [[Presidential impeachment]]
- [[Lee Myung-bak administration]]
- [[South Korean presidential elections]]