# Nowon A

Nowon A (Korean: 노원구 갑) is a constituency of the National Assembly of South Korea. The constituency consists of parts of Nowon District, Seoul. As of 2024, 224,187 eligible voters were registered in the constituency. The constituency was created in 1988 from the Dobong constituency.

## History

Throughout its history, Nowon A has displayed swing seat tendencies, having voted for both conservative and liberal political parties to represent the constituency in the National Assembly.
Baek Nam-chi of the centre-right Reunification Democratic Party was the first member to represent the constituency. Baek narrowly won re-election in 1992 and 1996, having received 34.91% and 36.77% of the vote respectively. Ahead of the 2000 election, the Grand National Party did not renominate incumbent Baek Nam-chi as the party's candidate for Nowon A, having nominated former Minister of Energy and Resources Choe Dong-kyu instead. In response to this, Baek left the Grand National Party and joined the right-wing United Liberal Democrats on February 23, 2000. Baek unsuccessfully ran for re-election under the United Liberal Democrats banner, coming in third place. He was succeeded by Ham Seung-hee of the liberal Millennium Democratic Party. Ham was defeated in the following election by Chung Bong-ju of the liberal Uri Party. Chung unsuccessfully ran for re-election in 2008, being defeated by Hyun Gyoung-byoung of the conservative Grand National Party. However, Hyun lost his seat on June 10, 2011, having been found guilty of receiving ₩30,000,000. A by-election for Nowon A was not held as South Korean election law does not allow for by-elections to held when less than one year is left until the next election.
In the 2012 South Korean legislative election, former mayor of Nowon District Lee No-keun of the conservative Saenuri Party won the seat. Lee narrowly lost to Democratic Party challenger Koh Yong-jin in the following election, having lost by less than three points. A return match between Koh and Lee unfolded in the 2020 election, which saw Koh secure 56.78 and defeat Lee by more than eighteen points. Ahead of the 2024 South Korean legislative election, Woo Won-shik was designated as the Democratic Party's candidate after defeating incumbent Koh Yong-jin in a party primary. The People Power Party nominated former assemblyman Hyun Gyoung-byoung. Woo went on to defeat Hyun in the general election, securing 58.99% of the vote.

## Boundaries

The constituency encompasses the neighborhoods of Wolgye-dong, Gongneung-dong, and Junggye-dong. It borders the constituencies of Nowon B to the north, Dobong A to the northwest, Gangbuk B to the west, Seongbuk B to the southwest, Jungnang B to the south, and Guri to the east.

## List of members of the National Assembly

| Election | Member | Party | Dates | Notes |
| 1988 | Baek Nam-chi | Reunification Democratic | 1988–2000 | Left the Grand National Party and joined the United Liberal Democrats on February 23, 2000 |
| 1992 | Baek Nam-chi | Democratic Liberal | 1988–2000 | Left the Grand National Party and joined the United Liberal Democrats on February 23, 2000 |
| 1996 | Baek Nam-chi | New Korea | 1988–2000 | Left the Grand National Party and joined the United Liberal Democrats on February 23, 2000 |
| 2000 | Ham Seung-hee | Millennium Democratic | 2000–2004 | |
| 2004 | Chung Bong-ju | Uri | 2004–2008 | |
| 2008 | Hyun Gyoung-byoung | Grand National | 2008–2011 | Lost seat on June 10, 2011, for receiving illegal political campaign funds |
| 2012 | Lee No-keun | Saenuri | 2012–2016 | Mayor of Nowon District (2006–2010) |
| 2016 | Koh Yong-jin | Democratic | 2016–2024 | |
| 2020 | Koh Yong-jin | Democratic | 2016–2024 | |
| 2024 | Woo Won-shik | Democratic | 2024–present | |

## Election results
### 2024

Legislative Election 2024: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Woo Won-shik | 91,986 | 58.99 | 2.21 |
| | People Power | Hyun Gyoung-byoung | 63,924 | 41.00 | 2.26 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 2,561 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 158,471 | 70.69 | 0.77 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 224,187 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |

### 2020

Legislative Election 2020: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Koh Yong-jin | 53,911 | 56.78 | 14.99 |
| | United Future | Lee No-keun | 36,782 | 38.74 | 0.63 |
| | Minjung | Choi Na-yeong | 3,761 | 3.96 | new |
| | National Revolutionary | Cho Deok-sil | 487 | 0.51 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,092 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 96,033 | 69.92 | 7.63 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 138,917 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |

### 2016

Legislative Election 2016: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Koh Yong-jin | 36,205 | 41.79 | 2.41 |
| | Saenuri | Lee No-keun | 34,109 | 39.37 | 10.69 |
| | People | Lee Hyung-nam | 16,309 | 18.82 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 981 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 87,604 | 62.29 | 4.88 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 140,642 | | |
| | Democratic gain from Saenuri | Democratic gain from Saenuri | Swing | | |

### 2012

Legislative Election 2012: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Saenuri | Lee No-keun | 40,865 | 50.06 | 8.48 |
| | Democratic United | Kim Yong-min | 36,083 | 44.20 | 6.58 |
| | Independent | Woo Seung-bae | 2,913 | 3.56 | new |
| | Liberty Forward | Kim Cheol-soo | 1,761 | 2.15 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 692 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 82,314 | 57.41 | 8.33 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 143,388 | | |
| | Saenuri hold | Saenuri hold | Swing | | |

### 2008

Legislative Election 2008: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Grand National | Hyun Gyoung-byoung | 29,010 | 41.58 | 11.0 |
| | United Democratic | Chung Bong-ju | 26,251 | 37.62 | new |
| | Pro-Park | Ham Seung-hee | 12,098 | 17.34 | new |
| | New Progressive | Kim Ui-yul | 1,795 | 2.57 | new |
| | Family Party for Peace and Unity | Wi In-kyu | 613 | 0.87 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 466 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70,233 | 49.08 | 15.21 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 143,108 | | |
| | Grand National gain from United Democratic | Grand National gain from United Democratic | Swing | | |

### 2004

Legislative Election 2004: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Uri | Chung Bong-ju | 36,992 | 42.69 | new |
| | Grand National | Hyun Gyoung-byoung | 26,496 | 30.58 | 5.8 |
| | Millennium Democratic | Ham Seung-hee | 23,154 | 26.72 | 16.45 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 955 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 87,597 | 64.29 | 9.14 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 136,263 | | |
| | Uri gain from Millennium Democratic | Uri gain from Millennium Democratic | Swing | | |

### 2000

Legislative Election 2000: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Millennium Democratic | Ham Seung-hee | 50,745 | 43.17 | new |
| | Grand National | Choe Dong-kyu | 42,772 | 36.38 | 0.39 |
| | United Liberal Democrats | Baek Nam-chi | 11,491 | 9.77 | 5.76 |
| | Democratic Labor | Lee Sang-hyun | 7,931 | 6.74 | new |
| | Democratic People's | Chung Chang-in | 2,422 | 2.06 | new |
| | Youth Progressive | Park Hee-taek | 2,184 | 1.85 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,086 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 118,631 | 55.15 | 5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 215,106 | | |
| | Millennium Democratic gain from United Liberal Democrats | Millennium Democratic gain from United Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### 1996

Legislative Election 1996: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Korea | Baek Nam-chi | 43,859 | 36.77 | 1.86 |
| | National Congress | Ko Young-ha | 41,906 | 35.13 | – |
| | United Liberal Democrats | Park Byung-il | 18,529 | 15.53 | – |
| | Democratic | Yoo Young-rae | 11,503 | 9.64 | – |
| | Independent | Park Nam-su | 3,479 | 2.91 | – |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,773 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 121,049 | 61.05 | 7.57 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 198,266 | | |
| | New Korea hold | New Korea hold | Swing | | |

### 1992

Legislative Election 1992: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic Liberal | Baek Nam-chi | 42,487 | 34.91 | new |
| | Democratic | Ko Young-ha | 40,517 | 33.29 | new |
| | Unification National | Park Byung-il | 38,684 | 31.78 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,092 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 124,292 | 68.62 | 0.72 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 181,137 | | |
| | Democratic Liberal hold | Democratic Liberal hold | Swing | | |

### 1988

Legislative Election 1988: Nowon A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reunification Democratic | Baek Nam-chi | 25,699 | 28.46 | – |
| | Peace Democratic | Park Byung-il | 24,602 | 27.25 | – |
| | Democratic Justice | An Dae-ryun | 21,754 | 24.09 | – |
| | New Democratic Republican | Sung Jang-ki | 10,640 | 11.78 | – |
| | Hankyoreh Democratic | Yoo Ihn-tae | 7,575 | 8.39 | – |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 723 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 90,993 | 67.90 | – |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 134,013 | | |
| | Reunification Democratic win (new seat) | Reunification Democratic win (new seat) | Reunification Democratic win (new seat) | Reunification Democratic win (new seat) | Reunification Democratic win (new seat) |