1978 South Korean presidential election

Presidential elections were held in South Korea on 6 July 1978, the second elections held under the Restoration Constitution, which gave the members of the National Conference for Unification the power to elect the president.

1978 South Korean presidential election

← 1972 6 July 1978 1979 →
2,581 members of the National Conference for Unification 1,291 votes needed to win
Nominee Park Chung-hee Party Democratic Republican Electoral vote 2,577
Votes of the National Conference for Unification   Park Chung-hee: 2577   Did not vote: 3   Invalid/Blank: 1
President before election Park Chung-hee Democratic Republican Elected President Park Chung-hee Democratic Republican

The National Conference for Unification was elected on 18 May, and the newly sworn-in delegates proceeded to elect the president on 6 July. As in 1972, incumbent President Park Chung-hee was the only candidate. He was duly re-elected with the support of 2,577 of the 2,581 members.^[1] Park Chung Hee would continue in office for just over a year before his assassination on 26 October 1979 and the subsequent collapse of the Yushin regime.

National Conference for Unification election

The 2,583 members of the second National Conference for Unification were elected on 18 May 1978, with a voter turnout of 79%.

Region	Turnout	%	Valid votes	Delegates	+/–
Seoul	2,754,086	67.8	2,665,140	391	+88
Busan	942,148	77.1	919,727	145	+41
Gyeonggi	1,634,742	78.2	1,593,630	319	+39
Gangwon	764,857	86.9	746,432	151	+6
North Chungcheong	577,877	87.0	562,148	131	+4
South Chungcheong	1,068,658	83.4	1,038,174	235	+4
North Jeolla	905,394	84.9	876,166	203	+3
South Jeolla	1,402,831	81.5	1,356,531	312	0
North Gyeongsang	1,833,990	84.4	1,790,763	379	+25
South Gyeongsang	1,255,860	83.0	1,223,490	290	+12
Jeju	178,633	86.9	173,977	27	+2
Total	13,319,076	78.9	12,946,178	2,583	+224

The National Conference for Unification members elected in 1978 would later approve Park's slate of nominees for one-third of the National Assembly in December 1978, elect Choi Kyu-hah as president in 1979 after Park's assassination, and confirm Chun Doo-hwan as president in 1980 after Choi's overthrow.

Presidential election

By the time of the presidential election, one delegate had resigned and another had died, meaning there were a total of 2,581 delegates at the Conference on the day of the presidential election.

In order to be elected, a candidate had to receive the vote of over 50% of the incumbent members. With 2,581 delegates in office, Park had to receive at least 1,291 votes to be elected. He received 2,577 votes, 99.85% of the total possible.

As there was only one candidate registered, the only ways the delegates could express opposition to Park was by either abstaining or casting invalid ballots. The only delegate who cast a protest vote was Park Seung-guk of Daegu-2 District.^[2]

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Park Chung-hee	Democratic Republican Party	2,577	100.00
Total			2,577	100.00
Valid votes			2,577	99.96
Invalid/blank votes			1	0.04
Total votes			2,578	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			2,581	99.88

By region

Region	Park	Invalid	Turnout	%	Eligible electors	Vacancies	Total
Seoul	389	0	389	99.49	391	0	391
Busan	145	0	145	100	145	0	145
Gyeonggi	319	0	319	100	319	0	319
Gangwon	151	0	151	100	151	0	151
North Chungcheong	131	0	131	100	131	0	131
South Chungcheong	234	0	234	100	234	1	235
North Jeolla	203	0	203	100	203	0	203
South Jeolla	312	0	312	100	312	0	312
North Gyeongsang	377	1	378	100	378	1	379
South Gyeongsang	289	0	289	99.66	290	0	290
Jeju	27	0	27	100	27	0	27
Total	2,577	1	2578	99.88	2,581	2	2,583