List of political parties in South Korea

This article lists political parties in South Korea. South Korea has a weakly institutionalized multi-party system, characterized by frequent changes in party arrangements. Political parties have a chance of gaining power alone.

Current parties

Main parties

Following the 2016 legislative election, four political parties will be present in the 20th National Assembly:

Party		Assembly seats	Party leader	Floor leader	Position	Comments	Status
	Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) 더불어민주당 Deobureo minjudang	123	Kim Chong-in	Woo Sang-ho	Centre to Centre-left	see: Liberalism in South Korea Liberal; merged from the Democratic Party and the minor New Political Vision Party.	Opposition
	Saenuri Party (SP) 새누리당 Saenuridang	122	Kim Moo-sung	Chung Jin-suk	Centre-right to Right-wing	see: Conservatism in South Korea Conservative; formerly called the Grand National Party.	Ruling party
	People's Party (PP) 국민의당 Gungminuidang	38	Ahn Cheol-soo, Chun Jung-bae	Park Jie-won	Centre	see: Liberalism in South Korea Liberal; splintered from the Minjoo Party of Korea.	Opposition
	Justice Party (JP) 정의당 Jeonguidang	6	Sim Sang-jung, Na Gyung-che, Kim Se-kyun,	Roh Hoe-chan	Centre-left to Left-wing	See: Progressivism in South Korea Progressive; splintered from the Unified Progressive Party

Notes:

1. The total number of representatives is 300.
2. 11 elected representatives are independents.

Extra-parliamentary parties

• Labor Party (노동당, Nodongdang)
• Christian Liberal Party (기독자유당; Gidok jayudang)
• Green Party Korea (녹색당, Noksaekdang)
• Hannara Party (한나라당, Hannaradang)
• Minjoo Party (민주당, Minjudang)
• People's New Party for Reform (개혁국민신당, Gaehyeok gukminsindang)
• People's United Party (민중연합당, Minjung yeonhapdang)
• Green Buddhist United Party (그린불교연합당, Geurin bulgyo yeonhapdang)
• International Green Party (국제녹색당, Gukje noksaekdang)
• Republican Party (공화당, Gonghwadang)

Defunct parties

Timeline of all mainstream political parties

Conservative parties

Main article: Conservatism in South Korea

Mainstream parties

• National Alliance for the Rapid Realization of Korean Independence (1946-1951)
• Liberal Party (1951–1960)
• Democratic Republican Party (1963–1980)
• Democratic Justice Party (1981–1990)
• Democratic Liberal Party → New Korea Party (1990–1997)

Minor parties

• Korean Resistance Party (1945–1950)
• Federation Korean National Independence (1947-1951)
• Korea National Party (1947-1958)
• Democratic Unification Party (1973–1980)
• Korean National Party → New Democratic Republican Party (1981–1990)
• United People's Party → Democratic Party (1992-1995)
• United Liberal Democrats (1995–2006)
• People First Party (2005–2008)
• Liberty Forward Party → Advancement Unification Party (2008-2012)
• Pro-Park Coalition → Future Hope Alliance (2008-2012)

Liberal parties

Main article: Liberalism in South Korea

Mainstream parties

• Korea Democratic Party → Democratic National Party (1945-1955)
• Democratic Party (1955-1961)
• Civil Rule Party (1963-1965)
• People's Party → New Democratic Party (1965–1980)
• Democratic Korea Party (1981-1988)
• New Korea Democratic Party (1984–1988)
• Reunification Democratic Party (1987–1990)
• Party for Peace and Democracy → Peaceful Democratic Party (1987–1991)
• Democratic Party (1991–1995)
• National Congress for New Politics (1995-2000)
• Millennium Democratic Party → Democratic Party (2000–2008)
• The People's Party for Freedom → Uri Party (2002–2007)
• United New Democratic Party (2007–2008)
• United Democratic Party → Democratic Party (2008–2011)
• Democratic United Party → Democratic Party (2011–2014)

Minor parties

• Democratic Party (1963-1965)
• Democratic Party (1990–1991)
• Democratic Party (1995–1997)
• The Participation Party (2010-2011)
• New Political Vision Party (2014)

Progressive parties

Main article: Progressivism in South Korea

• Preparatory Committee for National Construction → People's Party of Korea → People's Labor Party (1945-1950)
• Workers' Party of South Korea (1946-1953)
• Socialist Party (1951-1953)
• Progressive Party (1956-1958)
• Hangyore Democratic Party (1988-1991)
• People's Party (1988)
• The People's Party (1990-1992)
• People's Victory 21 → Democratic Labor Party (1997-2011)
• Youth Progressive Party → Socialist Party → Korea Socialist Party → Socialist Party (1998–2012)
• New Progressive Party (2008–2012)

Green parties

• Korea Greens (2004-2008)

Banned parties

• Progressive Party (1956-1958)
• Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front (1969-1985)
• National Democratic Front of South Korea (1985-2005)
• Democratic Labor Party + The Participation Party → Unified Progressive Party (2011-2014)

See also

• List of ruling political parties by country
• Politics of South Korea
• List of Korea-related topics

References

• The present state of registered political parties, National Election Commission of S. Korea.
• The present state of political parties registration, National Election Commission of S. Korea, May 29, 2008.