Democratic Labor Party (South Korea)

Democratic Labor Party
Leader Lee Jung-Hee
Assembly leader Gang Gi-Gap
Founded January 2000 (2000-01)
Dissolved 5 December 2011
Merged into Unified Progressive Party
Headquarters Jongdo Building, 25-1 Mullaedong2-ga, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Ideology Korean nationalism[1]
Socialism
Progressivism[2][3]
Pro-North Korea
Political position Left-wing[4][5]
Colours Orange
Website
kdlp.org
Democratic Labor Party
Hangul 민주노동당
Hanja 民主勞動黨
Revised Romanization Minju Nodongdang
McCune–Reischauer Minju Nodong-tang

The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) was a left-wing nationalist political party in South Korea. It was founded in January 2000, in the effort to create a political wing for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and was considered more left-wing and more independent of the two union federations in South Korea. Its party president was Lee Jung-hee and its assembly leader Kang Gi-gap, who is twice-elected congressman. In December 2011, the party merged into the Unified Progressive Party.

History

The party gained 10 seats in the National Assembly for the first time in the 2004 parliamentary election, made it became the first major left-wing party to enter the Assembly.

Before and during the 2007 presidential election, conflicts arose between the two main factions within the party. While the "equality" faction, represented by the People's Democracy group, stressed social welfare and civil liberties, the "autonomy" faction, represented by the National Liberation group,[6] emphasized anti-Americanism and good relationships with North Korea.[7]

After the 2007 presidential election, the People's Democracy faction quit the party and formed the New Progressive Party (NPP).[6] Despite the split, DLP gained 5 seats in the National Assembly in the 2008 election, but NPP gained none.[7] In the 2009 election, NPP got one seat. On 5 December 2011, the party merged with the People's Participation Party and a faction of the NPP to found the Unified Progressive Party.

References

  1. ↑ Park, Mi (2008), Democracy and Social Change: A History of South Korean Student Movements, 1980-2000, Peter Lang, p. 231
  2. ↑ Kim, Sunhyuk (2007), "Civil society and democratization in Korea", Korean Society (Taylor & Francis), p. 65
  3. ↑ Chang, Yun-Shik (2008), "Left and right in South Korean politics", Korea Confronts Globalization (Taylor & Francis), p. 176
  4. ↑ Bae, Joonbum (2009), "The South Korean Left's 'Northern Question'", Korea Yearbook 2009 (Brill), p. 90
  5. ↑ Lim, Hyun-Chin (2008), "Impacts of globalization and restructuring", Korea Confronts Globalization (Taylor & Francis), p. 161
  6. 1 2 Jeong Jae Sung (1 February 2008), "The Debate to End the DLP’s Pro-North Korea Stance: the Roots of a 20-Year Conflict", Daily NK, retrieved 25 March 2012
  7. 1 2 Jackson, Andy (27 January 2010), Happy 10th birthday Democratic Labor Party!, Asian Correspondent, retrieved 25 March 2012

See also

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