Dance off.

So this Wednesday was local election day in South Korea. And just like most of the other things in this country, it’s a little different to most western countries.

For one thing, campaigning is confined to the two week period before the elections. Bliss, compared to the months of endless campaigning that people have to endure in many western countries, especially in the US. And while I no doubt loose a little of the messages due to my almost complete lack of Korean, it appears that the most important criteria for Korean politicians is how loud their loudspeakers are, and how co ordinated their supporters are when it comes to dancing. YES, dancing. Candidates and their supporters can be seen at busy cross roads and on the back of election trucks, dancing and singing away. For ages…. And in the event of a tie in the ballots, candidates settle the matter with a dance off, LIVE on AIR.

Dancing politicians

(OK, so I made the last bit up, but the rest is true!!)

On a slightly more serious note, the ruling GNP party lost serious ground during the elections, with the main opposition Democratic Party coming out of Wednesday in a strong position. The results are a major blow for incumbent President Lee. It remains to be seen whether this is a good or a bad thing when it comes to the latest tensions on the Korean peninsula…