UCLA Center for East Asian Studies
The December 18, 1997 presidential election in South Korea was the fifteenth in that country's history. It and the February 1998 transfer of power to former dissident and political prisoner Kim Dae-jung represented the first peaceful transmission of authority in Korean history.
Source: Peter M. Beck, (1997), "South Korea in 1997," 1998 Korea's Economy.Kim Dae-jung, National Congress for New Politics, opposition candidate
Washington, D.C.: Korea Economic Institute.
Lee Hoi-chang, candidate of the Hannara Party (New Korea Party, now the Grand
National Party), the previously ruling party
Rhee In-je, New People's Party (he split from the ruling party)81% of eligible voters participated in the election.
Visit the Korean Politics site for details on the voting.