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Liberalism in South Korea

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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.

Contents

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 Minjoo Party of Korea, and the People's Party are the main successors of the liberal parties' tradition

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). 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 Minjoo Party of Korea (더불어민주당). After merging Minjoo Party (2014) on 19 October 2016, the party's English name was changed into Democratic Party of Korea.

    On 10 January 2016, the Ahn Cheol-soo fraction of the split of the MPK to established the People's Party.

    Liberal presidents in South Korea

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

    • References

    Liberalism in South Korea Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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