Liberalism in South Korea

This article gives an overview of liberalism in South Korea. It is limited to liberal democratic parties with substantial support, mainly proven by having had a representation in parliament.

Introduction

Note: the word liberal in South Korea is often used by conservative groupings (See New Right in South Korea), in the European fashion. Liberal parties (in the American sense of the term) tend to label themselves as "Democratic" or "Progressive" instead.

There has been a tradition of liberal parties since 1955, often organized around persons. Presently the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, the Unified Progressive Party, the Justice Party and the Labor Party are the main successors of the liberal parties' tradition

"Liberal" movements in Korea also differ markedly from liberal movements elsewhere by strongly emphasizing patriotism and ethnic nationalism (especially with regard to Korean reunification) instead of "civic," or "liberal nationalism", a characteristic shared with North Korea.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} This emphasis in "Liberalism" is closely associated with Pro-North Korea sentiments in the political sphere along with anti-American ideology.^[7] In this critical respect "liberalism" in South Korea bears very little resemblance to "liberalism" as it is understood elsewhere in the world.

Timeline

N.B.: The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not required for parties to label themselves as a "liberal party."

Christian Social Democratic Party to Korea Democratic Party

• 1945: The Christian Social Democratic Party first political party formed since Korea was liberated from Japanese occupation.
• 1945: Renamed as Korea Democratic Party.
• 1949: merged with the Democratic National Party

Democratic National Party

• 1955: merged with Democratic Party (1955) to form the Democratic National Party

Democratic Party (1955)

• 1955: Chang Myon founds the Democratic Party (1955) (Minju Dang)
• 1957: Unity Party secedes from the Democratic Party (1955)
• 1961: Party is banned and splits into the Democratic Party (1963) and the Civil Rule Party

Civil Rule Party

• 1963: The Civil Rule Party founded after the banned of Democratic Party (1955)
• 1967: merged with the Civil Rule Party and forms the New Democratic Korea Party

Democratic Party (1963)

• 1963: The Democratic Party (1963) founded after the banned of Democratic Party (1955)
• 1967: merged with the Democratic Party (1963) and forms the New Democratic Korea Party

New Democratic Korea Party

• 1967: Party is refounded as the New Democratic Party (Sinmin Dang), led from 1971 by Kim Dae-jung. When Kim fled to Japan, Kim Young-sam became the party leader
• 1981: Party is banned and Kim Dae-jung is sentenced to the death penalty. Factions of the party continue as the Democratic Korea Party (Minjuhanguk Dang)
• 1985: Most of the party joins the ⇒ New Korean Democratic Party, a small and unsuccessful faction

New Korean Democratic Party

• 1985: Lee Min Woo founds the New Korean Democratic Party (Sinhanminju Dang), joined after the 1985 elections by the majority of the ⇒ Democratic Korea Party (including Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam)
• 1987: The "two Kims" and their followers leave the party to form the ⇒ Reunification Democratic Party; the New Korean Democratic Party disappears

Reunification Democratic Party

• 1987: Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam leave the ⇒ New Korean Democratic Party and form the Reunification Democratic Party (Tongil Minju Dang)
• 1987: Kim Dae-jung leaves the Democratic Reunification Party and forms the ⇒ Party for Peace and Democracy
• 1990: The party merges with the conservative Democratic Justice Party and the New Democratic Republican Party into the conservative Democratic Liberal Party (Minju Jayu Dang). A faction forms the ⇒ Democratic Party (1990)

Party for Peace and Democracy to Democratic Party (1991)

• 1987: Kim Dae-jung leaves the ⇒ Reunification Democratic Party and forms the Party for Peace and Democracy (P'yonghwa Minjudang)
• 1991: The party is reorganised into the New United Democratic Party (Sinminju Yeonhapdang, Sinmindang for short)
• 1991: The party merges with the ⇒ Democratic Party (1990) and takes the name Democratic Party (1991) (Minjudang)
• 1995: Most of the party follows Kim into the ⇒ National Congress for New Politics or Democratic Party (2005), the Democratic Party (1991) disappears

Democratic Party (1990)

• 1990: A faction of the ⇒ Democratic Reunification Party forms the Democratic Party (1990) (Minjudang)
• 1991: The party merges with the ⇒ Party for Peace and Democracy into the ⇒ New Democratic Party

Democratic Party (1995)

• 1995: A faction of the ⇒ Democratic Party (1990) forms the Democratic Party (1995)
• 1997: The party merges with the ⇒ National Congress for New Politics

National Congress for New Politics (1995)

• 1995: Most of the ⇒ Democratic Party follows Kim Dae-jung into the National Congress for New Politics (Saejeongchi Gungminhoeui) and succeeded in 1997 in electing Kim to the presidency of South Korea
• 2000: The party is merged with New People Party to form the Millennium Democratic Party (Sae Cheonnyeon Minjudang, 새천년민주당)

Millennium Democratic Party to Democratic Party (2000)

• 2003: After the election of its candidate Roh Moo-hyun to the presidency, his followers leave the party and formed ⇒ Uri Party
• 2005: The party is renamed Democratic Party (2000) (Min-ju Dang)
• 2007: the party split into two groups Democratic Party (2007) and the other group merge with the Uri Party

Uri Party (2003)

• 2003: After the election of its candidate Roh Moo-hyun to the presidency, his followers leave the Millennium Democratic Party and form the Uri Party (Yeollin Uri Dang, 열린우리당), sometimes known as "Our Open Party." Lasted until August 19, 2007.

Democratic Party (2007) to Centrist Reformists Democratic Party

• 2007:The Democratic Party (2007) was found after the dissolution of Democratic Party (2000).
• 2007:The party is renamed Centrist Reformists Democratic Party

United New Democratic Party (2007)

• 2007: Most members of the Uri Party, Son Hak-gyu's conservative-liberal benches, and a group of the civil movement organizations are united as a new political party called The United New Democratic Party (Daetonghap Minju Sindang, 대통합민주신당).

United Democratic Party to Democratic Party (2008)

On 17 February 2008, the UNDP merged with the Democratic Party (민주당), forming the United Democratic Party (통합민주당). This was four years after the Uri Party (열린우리당)'s split from Millennium Democratic Party (새천년민주당).^[8] On July 2008 the party is renamed Democratic Party (2008) (Min-ju Dang).

Democratic United Party to Democratic Party (2011)

In December 16, 2011, with the unity of Democratic Party, Citizens United Party and cooperation of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, formed Democratic United Party. In 2013 the party is renamed Democratic Party (민주당), while changed its official color from green to blue, the first time in 60 years.

New Politics Alliance for Democracy to The Minjoo Party of Korea

On 26 March 2014, the Democratic Party (2011) merged with New Political Vision Party (새정치연합), forming the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (Saejeongchi Minju Yeonhap, 새정치민주연합). In 2015 the party is renamed The Minjoo Party of Korea (더불어민주당).

Liberal presidents in South Korea

• Yun Bo-seon (1960-1962)
• Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003)
• Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008)

Major liberal parties election results of South Korea

Presidential elections

Election	Candidate	Total votes	Share of votes	Outcome	Party Name
1952	Yi Si-yeong	764,715	10.9%	Lost N	Democratic National Party
1956	Shin Ik-hee	0	0.0%	died before election	Democratic Party (1955)
March 1960	Chough Pyung-ok	0 (electoral vote)	0.0%	died before election	Democratic Party (1955)
August 1960	Yun Bo-seon	208 (electoral vote)	82.2%	Elected	Democratic Party (1955)
1963	Yun Bo-seon	4,546,614	45.1%	Lost N	Civil Rule Party
1967	Yun Bo-seon	4,526,541	40.9%	Lost N	New Democratic Party
1971	Kim Dae-jung	5,395,900	45.3%	Lost N	New Democratic Party
1981	Yu Chi-song	404	7.7%	Lost N	Democratic Korea Party
1987	Kim Dae-jung	6,113,375	27.0%	Lost N	Party for Peace and Democracy
1992	Kim Dae-jung	8,041,284	33.8%	Lost N	Democratic Party (1991)
1997	Kim Dae-jung Lee In-je	10,326,275 4,925,591	40.3% 19.2%	Elected Lost N	National Congress for New Politics New People Party
2002	Roh Moo-hyun	12,014,277	48.9%	Elected	Millennium Democratic Party
2007	Chung Dong-young Lee In-je	6,174,681 160,708	26.1% 0.7%	Lost N Lost N	United New Democratic Party Centrist Reformists Democratic Party
2012	Moon Jae-in	14,692,632	48.0%	Lost N	Democratic United Party

Legislative elections

Election	Total seats won	Total votes	Share of votes	Outcome of election	Election leader	Party Name
1948	29 / 200	916,322	13.5%	new 29 seats; Minority	Kim Seong-su	Korea Democratic Party
1950	24 / 210	683,910	9.8%	new 24 seats; Minority	Shin Ik-hee	Democratic National Party
1954	15 / 203	593,499	7.9%	29 seats; Minority	Shin Ik-hee	Democratic National Party
1958	79 / 233	2,914,049	34.0%	new 79 seats; Minority	Chough Pyung-ok	Democratic Party (1955)
1960	175 / 233	3,786,401	41.7%	96 seats; Majority	Chough Pyung-ok	Democratic Party (1955)
1963	41 / 175 14 / 175	1,870,976 1,264,285	20.1% 13.6%	new 41 seats; Minority new 14 seats; Minority	Yun Bo-seon Park Soon-cheon	Civil Rule Party Democratic Party (1963)
1967	45 / 175	3,554,224	32.7%	new 45 seats; Minority	Yu Jin-o	New Democratic Party
1971	89 / 204	4,969,050	44.4%	44 seats; Minority	Kim Hong-il	New Democratic Party
1973	52 / 219	3,577,300	32.5%	37 seats; Minority	Yu Chin-san	New Democratic Party
1978	61 / 231	4,861,204	32.8%	9 seats; Minority	Yi Cheol-seung	New Democratic Party
1981	81 / 276	3,495,829	21.6%	new 81 seats; Minority	Lee Man-sup	Democratic Korea Party
1988	70 / 299	3,783,279	19.3%	new 70 seats; in Coalition (PPD-DRP-NDRP)	Lee Min-woo	Party for Peace and Democracy
1992	97 / 299	6,004,577	29.2%	new 97 seats; Minority	Kim Dae-jung	Democratic Party (1991)
1996	79 / 299	4,971,961	25.3%	new 79 seats; in Coalition (NCNP-ULD-Democrats)	Kim Dae-jung	National Congress for New Politics
2000	115 / 299	6,780,625	35.9%	new 115 seats; in Coalition (MDP-ULD-DPP)	Kim Dae-jung	Millennium Democratic Party
2004	152 / 299 9 / 299	8,145,824 1,510,178	38.3% 7.1%	new 152 seats; Majority 53 seats; Minority	Chung Dong-young Choug Soon-hyung	Uri Party Millennium Democratic Party
2008	81 / 299	4,313,111	25.1%	new 81 seats; Minority	Son Hak-gyu	United Democratic Party
2012	127 / 300	7,777,123	36.5%	new 127 seats; Minority	Han Myeong-sook	Democratic United Party

Local elections

Election	Metropolitan mayor/Governor	Provincial legislature	Municipal mayor	Municipal legislature	Party Name
1995	4 / 15	353 / 875	84 / 230		Democratic Party (1991)
1998	6 / 16 0 / 16	271 / 616 0 / 616	84 / 232 1 / 232		National Congress for New Politics New People Party
2002	1 / 16	33 / 682	16 / 227		Millennium Democratic Party
2006	1 / 16 2 / 16	52 / 733 80 / 733	19 / 230 20 / 230	630 / 2,888 276 / 2,888	Uri Party Democratic Party (2005)
2010	7 / 16	360 / 761	92 / 228	1,025 / 2,888	Democratic Party (2008)
2014	9 / 17	349 / 789	80 / 226	1,157 / 2,898	New Politics Alliance for Democracy

See also

• History of South Korea
• Politics of South Korea
• Conservatism in South Korea
• List of political parties in South Korea
• Minjudang

References

1. “세계화 시대, 개인주의로 가는 포스트 386 주목”
2. Distorting Nation - Hankyoreh Reporter Go Meong-seop endorses "peace and reunification-oriented ethnic nationalism" over "anti-communist and 'divided' state-based nationalism"
3. Juche: Idea for All Times: "If we have a more careful look through the 1955 speech and other early references to Juche we will see that this was what Kim Il Song meant: not a coherent ideology, not even the idea of "self-reliance," but rather the need to emphasize one's national identity as a Korean, a need to see Korea's national interests as the top priority."
4. Reformed Socialist’ Professor Skewers Anachronistic Korean Left - Former leftist student activist Shin Ji-Ho notes the political "primacy on race and reunification" on the part of his former comrades
5. Why Korea Should Embrace Multi-Culturalism
6. Amid the anti-dictatorship democratization movement, the leftists of the South were divided, fighting each other over whether they should follow the North’s ideology or not... The concept of “blood is thicker than water” intervened, and the leftists soon became uncomfortable whenever the North was mentioned.
7. http://www.dailynk.com/korean/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=84061
8. 통합민주당 공식 출범, the Hankyoreh, Retrieved on 5 March 2008