South Koreans began to cast their ballots at over 13,000 ballot boxes nationwide on Wednesday to elect members of parliament in the National Assembly.

About 38 million people are eligible to cast ballots at 13,246 ballot boxes nationwide, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).

The voting began at 6 a.m. Wednesday (2100 GMT Tuesday) and is set to end at 6 p.m. (0900 GMT).

Among a total of 299 seats in the National Assembly, 245 are elected through direct voting in each district nationwide, while the remaining 54 seats are allocated to parties according to the number of votes they win, the NEC said.

The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) vowed to secure 50 percent or more of the seats in the election to ensure a smooth-running of President Lee Myung-bak's administration. The GNP currently holds 112 seats in the National Assembly.

"Please support us so that the nation can complete a transition of political power from the incompetent left-leaning administration," Kang Jae-sup, leader of the conservative GNP, appealed to the nation on Tuesday. "We ask you for no more than one more seat from the simple majority of 150 in the National Assembly."

The main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), which now holds 136 seats in the National Assembly, is striking to win not less than 100 seats.

"Please, please prevent a one-party dictatorship of the Grand National Party," UDP Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu said before the elections. "Who will keep the government in check and hold the balance in the National Assembly if two-thirds of parliament's seats are taken by the ruling party? Please make a decision for the sake of the country's democracy."

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2008)