Democratic Party (Republic of Korea)
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Party is a liberal
political party
in South Korea
.
The Democratic Party is the main opposition in the 18th Assembly
, lasting from 2008 to 2012.
(Yeollin Uri-dang) when loyalists to president Roh Moo-hyun
in the Millennium Democratic Party chose to break ranks from other party members who showed lukewarm support for the administration. Some 42 out of 103 lawmakers of the Millennium Democratic Party joined the new party, and 5 lawmakers from the Grand National Party
also joined, seeking to complete political reforms. As a result of the 2004 Parliamentary election
, the party achieved its first nationwide majority in the legislature by winning 152 of 299 seats.
On August 18, 2007, the delegates of the Uri Party decided to disband the party and merge with the newly-created liberal
party called the United New Democratic Party (Daetonghap Minjusin-dang). After a year, the United New Democratic Party once again merged back with the Democratic Party previously known as the Millennium Democratic Party on February 17, 2008 to form the United Democratic Party (Tonghap Minju-dang). On July 2008 the party had changed its name to the Democratic Party.
In local eletions 2010, Democratic Party (DP) scored a victory in eight mayoral and gubernatorial posts, including the Inchon mayorship.
Due to its focus on income redistribution, anti-monopolism, the Democratic Party is considered "liberal", or "center" on the political spectrum. However, unlike traditional, or western liberalism, the party has a strong focus on nationalism and unification, leading to anti-American and pro-North Korean sentiments among its members.
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
The Democratic Party is the main opposition in the 18th Assembly
National Assembly of South Korea
The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea is a 299-member unicameral legislature. The latest general elections were held on April 9, 2008. Single-member constituencies comprise 245 of the National Assembly's seats, while the remaining 54 are allocated by proportional representation...
, lasting from 2008 to 2012.
History
The party was originally formed as the Uri PartyUri Party
The Yeollin Uri Party , generally abbreviated to Uri Party , was the briefly ruling political party in South Korea with a centrist political ideology...
(Yeollin Uri-dang) when loyalists to president Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun GOM GCB was the 16th President of South Korea .Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his...
in the Millennium Democratic Party chose to break ranks from other party members who showed lukewarm support for the administration. Some 42 out of 103 lawmakers of the Millennium Democratic Party joined the new party, and 5 lawmakers from the Grand National Party
Grand National Party
The Grand National Party is a conservative political party in South Korea. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly, lasting from 2008 to 2012....
also joined, seeking to complete political reforms. As a result of the 2004 Parliamentary election
South Korean parliamentary election, 2004
Legislative elections were held in the Republic of Korea on April 15, 2004. The newly formed Uri Party and other parties supporting President Roh Moo-hyun, who was impeached by the outgoing National Assembly, won a majority of seats...
, the party achieved its first nationwide majority in the legislature by winning 152 of 299 seats.
On August 18, 2007, the delegates of the Uri Party decided to disband the party and merge with the newly-created liberal
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:...
party called the United New Democratic Party (Daetonghap Minjusin-dang). After a year, the United New Democratic Party once again merged back with the Democratic Party previously known as the Millennium Democratic Party on February 17, 2008 to form the United Democratic Party (Tonghap Minju-dang). On July 2008 the party had changed its name to the Democratic Party.
In local eletions 2010, Democratic Party (DP) scored a victory in eight mayoral and gubernatorial posts, including the Inchon mayorship.
Due to its focus on income redistribution, anti-monopolism, the Democratic Party is considered "liberal", or "center" on the political spectrum. However, unlike traditional, or western liberalism, the party has a strong focus on nationalism and unification, leading to anti-American and pro-North Korean sentiments among its members.
| Historical Formation of the Democratic Party | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party (18 August 1945) | |||||
| ↓ Korea Democratic Party (1945) ↓ |
↓ Joseon Democratic Party (18 August 1945) |
||||
| Democratic Nationalist Party (1949) → Democratic Party (1955) → Unity Party (1957) ↓ |
|||||
| New Democratic Party (1960) ↓ |
|||||
| ↓ Democratic Justice Party (1963) ↓ |
↓ Democratic party (1963) ↓ |
↓ Liberal Democratic Party (1963) ↓ |
↓ People's Party (1963) ↓ |
||
| Prograssive Party (1957) → New Korean Democratic Party (1966) → New Democratic Party (1967) → Nationalist Party (1971) → Democratic Unity Party (1973) ↓ |
|||||
| Democratic Korea Party (1981) → New Korean Democratic Party (1985) → Unified Democratic Party (1 May 1987 - 12 November 1987) | |||||
| ↓ Unified Democratic Party (12 November 1987 – 15 February 1990) |
↓ Party for Peace and Democracy (12 November 1987 – 15 April 1991) ↓ |
||||
| Democratic Party (15 June 1990 – 16 September 1991) ↓ |
|||||
| New Democratic Party → Democratic Party (1 May 1987 – 12 November 1987) | |||||
| ↓ National Congress for New Politics (5 September 1995 – 20 January 2000) ↓ |
↓ United Democratic Party (21 December 1995 – 24 November 1997) |
||||
| New People Party ↓ |
|||||
| Millennium Democratic Party (20 January 2000 – 28 August 2002) |
|||||
| ↓ National Reform Party → Uri Party (28 August 2002 – 5 August 2007) |
↓ Millennium Democratic Party → Democratic Party (28 August 2002 – 17 February 2008) ↓ |
||||
| ↓ Uri Party (5 August 2007 – 18 August 2007) ↓ |
↓ United New Democratic Party (5 August 2007 – 18 August 2007) ↓ |
||||
| ↓ United New Democratic Party (18 August 2007 – 17 February 2008) ↓ |
|||||
| United Democratic Party → Democratic Party (17 February 2008 – present) | |||||
Presidents of DEP
- Son Hak-GyuSon Hak-GyuSon Hak-Gyu is a South Korean politician and the former governor of Gyeonggi-do, the most populous province in Korea. He became a politician in 1996 as a congressman of Grand National Party, and became a governor of Gyeonggi-do in 2002...
& Kim Hyo-seok (17 February 2008 - 29 May 2008) - Chung Se-kyun (30 May 2008 - 3 October 2010)
- Son Hak-gyuSon Hak-GyuSon Hak-Gyu is a South Korean politician and the former governor of Gyeonggi-do, the most populous province in Korea. He became a politician in 1996 as a congressman of Grand National Party, and became a governor of Gyeonggi-do in 2002...
(3 October 2010 - Incumbent)