Abstract
This article aims at comparing the 16th and 17th presidential elections in terms of the number of major competitive candidates, candidates' strengths, major campaign issues and the effect of region-centered voting. Among other things, both elections are commonly characterized by the major party's presidential candidates being selected via U.S. style primary, which had been first adopted in the 2002 presidential election. Rampantly strong region-centered voting pattern counts among continuities as well, while in 2002 the effect of region-centered voting appeared in a somewhat mitigated form. Contrasts, however, loom rather large between the two elections. First, while the 2002 election was a two-way election between NMDP and GNP, the 2007 election was a three-way election among DNP, GNP, and one competitive independent candidate. Second, strong anti-Americanism, relocation of Korean capital, and younger generation's activism counted among major issues and features in 2002, while in 2007 voters' anger at the incumbent president and their ardent hope for economic recovery were atop campaign issues. Third, strong as region-centered voting may be across the two elections, its effect was somewhat mitigated in the 2002 presidential election, because NMDP candidate Roh's hometown was in Pusan, where GNP had traditionally ruled as a regional hegemonic party. Lastly, in 2002 Roh was able to get elected partly due to his image as a reform-oriented, non-mainstream, anti-American stance politician. Besides, Roh's personality and policy posture particularly appealed to younger voters. On the other hand, Lee became a winner in 2007 by proposing himself to the public as a ready-made CEO-style candidate most competent to deliver Korea from economic hardships.
