Lawmakers raised a total of 44.9 billion won ($40.7 million) in political donations last year, data showed Thursday, marking a decrease from other election years.

According to the data released by the watchdog National Election Commission, each lawmaker on average raised 151 million won from their respective supporters’ associations during 2012, a year in which both the general and presidential elections were held.

Out of a total of 300 lawmakers, two were excluded from the data as they did not have supporters’ associations.

The total sum of donations was larger than the 31 billion won raised in 2011, but smaller than 47.7 billion won in 2010 and 63.4 billion won in 2008, according to the data.

This was because in an election year, each lawmaker is allowed to raise up to twice as much, or up to 300 million won. Both 2008 and 2010 were election years, while 2011 was not.

Lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party, who hold a majority in the National Assembly, raised more than their opposition party counterparts, with an average of 163 million won compared to 146 million won for lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic United Party. (Yonhap News)