Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) -- South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party beat the ruling Grand National Party in legislative by-elections, taking three out of five available seats, results showed.

Democratic Party candidate Lee Chan Yeol won a seat on the National Assembly representing Jangan, Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, defeating Park Chan Sook, a former lawmaker. Kim Young Hwan of the DP won a seat representing Sangrok, Ansan in Gyeonggi Province while another DP candidate Jong Bum Goo, a former lawmaker, won in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province.

The ruling party won two seats in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, with Park Hee Tae, the former GNP leader and Kwon Sung Dong, a former lawyer, beating their rivals.

The GNP now holds 169 seats in the 299-member National Assembly while the DP has 86.

Voter turnout was 39 percent, well above the average of 34.9 percent in by-elections held since 2005.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jungmin Hong in Seoul at jhong47@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 28, 2009 19:35 EDT