This article lists

political parties A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or pol ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

has a weakly institutionalized

multi-party system In political science, a multi-party system is a political system in which multiple political parties across the political spectrum run for national elections, and all have the capacity to gain control of government offices, separately or in coal ...

, characterized by frequent changes in party arrangements.

Political parties A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or pol ...

have a chance of gaining power alone.

Current parties

Main parties

Local-parliamentary parties

Extra-parliamentary parties

Conservative parties

* Revolution Party (혁명21당) * Liberty Party (자유당) * Inter-Korean Unification Party (남북통일당) * Pro-Park New Party (친박신당) * Our Republican Party (우리공화당) * Liberty Unification Party (자유통일당), formerly Christian Liberal Unification Party (기독자유통일당) * Dawn of Liberty (자유의새벽당) *

Saenuri Party (2017) Saenuri Party ( ko, 새누리당) is a conservative political party in South Korea, founded by supporters of Park Geun-hye. It opposed her impeachment. The foundation of the new Saenuri party began in February 2017 with the establishment of ...

(새누리당) * New National Participation Party (국민참여신당) * Let's Go! Korea (가자코리아) * The Christian Party (기독당) * Dokdo is Korea Party (독도한국당) * Liberty Democratic Party (자유민주당) * New Korean Peninsula Party (신한반도당) * Dawn of Civilization (개벽의시대) *People's Grand United Party (국민대통합당)

Centrist (or conservative liberal) parties

* Hongik Party (홍익당) * Let's Go! Peace and Human Rights Party (가자!평화인권당) * Let's Go! Environmental Party (가자환경당) * Korean Welfare Party (한국복지당) * Korean Wave Alliance Party (한류연합당) *

Minsaeng Party The Minsaeng Party () is a Conservative liberalism, conservative liberal political party in South Korea based in the Honam region. Political position The party has a support base among elderly and socially conservative Christians in the Hona ...

(민생당)

Liberal parties

* Awakened Civic Solidarity Party (깨어있는시민연대당) * Republic of Korea Party (대한민국당) * A Brighter Future Party (더밝은미래당)

Progressive parties

* Labor Party (노동당) *

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

(녹색당) * Our Future (미래당)

Single-issue parties

* Women's Party (여성의당) *

People's Democratic Party People's Democratic Party or ''variant thereof'', could refer to: * People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan *People's Democratic Party (Belize) *People's Democratic Party (Bhutan) *People's Democratic Party (Chile) * People's Democratic Party (Dom ...

(민중민주당) * Small and Medium-sized Businesses and Self-employed Peoples' Party (중소자영업당) * Functional Self-Employment Party (직능자영업당)

Unknown stances, third way, or syncretic parties

* National Revolutionary Party (국가혁명당) * The Beggar's Party (거지당), they would go to England to return the portrait of famous Buddhist Monk Jinpyo in the British Museum. They also claim that Queen Elizabeth was

Queen Seondeok of Silla Queen Seondeok of Silla ( ko, 선덕여왕 ; 595~610 – 17 February 647/January 8, Lunar Calendar) reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647. She was Silla's twenty-seventh ruler, and its first re ...

in her past life. * United Korean People's Party (통일한국당), Samgyun-ist party, where republican and nationalist political thought merge. *New Han People's Peninsula Peace Party (신한반도체제평화당), pan-Korean nationalism and

Cheondoism Cheondoism (spelled Chondoism in North Korean sources; ) is a 20th-century Korean pantheistic religion, based on the 19th-century Donghak religious movement founded by Ch'oe Che-u and codified under Son Pyŏng-Hi. Cheondoism has its origins i ...

, claims to support the unification of not only the Korean Peninsula, but of lands where Koreans are located in China, Russia, and Japan as well. * Chungcheong's Future Party (충청의미래당), a local political party in the

Chungcheong Chungcheong (''Chungcheong-do''; ) was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Chungcheong was located in the southwest of Korea. The provincial capital was located at Gongju, which had been the capital of the kingdom o ...

region.

Parties in formation

These parties are not legal acting political parties yet, but are in the process of gathering petition signatures to become formal political parties.

Defunct parties

Conservative parties

Mainstream parties

* National Alliance for the Rapid Realization of Korean Independence (1946–1951) *

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

(1951–1960) * Democratic Republican Party (1963–1980) *

Democratic Justice Party The Democratic Justice Party (; DJP) was the ruling party of South Korea from 1981 to 1988. History Chun had become the country's de facto leader after leading a military coup in December 1979, and was elected president in his own right in ...

(1981–1990) * Democratic Liberal Party → New Korea Party (1990–1997) * Hannara Party → Saenuri Party → Liberty Korea Party (1997–2020)

Minor parties

* Korean Resistance Party (1945–1950) * Federation Korean National Independence (1947–1951) * Korea National Party (1947–1958) * Korean National Party → New Democratic Republican Party (1981–1990) * United People's Party → Democratic Party (1992–1995) *

United Liberal Democrats The United Liberal Democrats ( ko, 자유민주연합, Yayuminjuyeonhab, Liberal Democratic Union, ULD) was a right-wing conservative political party in South Korea, whose support mostly came from the North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong regi ...

(1995–2006) * People First Party (2005–2008) * Liberty Forward Party → Advancement Unification Party (2008–2012) * Pro-Park Coalition → Future Hope Alliance (2008–2012) *

Hannara Party (2012) The Hannara Party () was a political party in South Korea. While former chairman Lee Tae Hee argued that the party succeeded Hwanin and Hwanung, the Liberty Korea Party (Saenuri Party) argued that Hannara had stolen the Saenuri Party's older nam ...

* Evergreen Korea Party (2017–2018) * Grand National United Party (2017–2018) *

Bareun Party The Bareun Party () was a conservative political party in South Korea, announced on 27 December 2016 with the defection of 29 anti-Park Saenuri Party lawmakers. It was known as the Conservative New Party for Reform until 8 January 2017. Histor ...

(2017–2018) *

Bareunmirae Party The Bareunmirae Party (), also known as the Bareun Mirae Party and Bareun Future Party, was a South Korean liberal-conservative political party. It was founded in 2018 by merger of the centrist liberal People's Party and the conservative Bareu ...

(2018–2020) *

New Conservative Party New Conservative Party (or similar names) may refer to: * New Conservative Party (UK), 1960–1962 * New Conservative Group, Australia, 1991–1992 * New Conservative Party (Japan), 2000–2003 * New Zealand Conservative Party, 1996-c.1998 * New C ...

(2020) * Republican Party (공화당) (2014–2020), merged with Christian Liberal Unification Party (기독자유통일당) to form National Revolutionary Party (국민혁명당). *

Uri Party The Yeollin Uri Party (), generally abbreviated to Uri Party (), was the ruling political party in South Korea from 2003–2007. It had a liberal political ideology in order to support then President Roh Moo-hyun. Chung Sye Kyun was the last le ...

(2021) *

Free Korea 21 Free Korea 21 was a conservative political party in South Korea led by Choi Jong-ho and Kim Kyung-se. History The party was founded as the Pro-Ban Unification Party ( ko, 친반통일당) on 14 March 2016, in order to endorse the-then Secretary- ...

(2016–2021), formerly

Korea Economic Party Free Korea 21 was a conservative political party in South Korea led by Choi Jong-ho and Kim Kyung-se. History The party was founded as the Pro-Ban Unification Party ( ko, 친반통일당) on 14 March 2016, in order to endorse the-then Secretary ...

, merged with Liberty Democratic Party. *

Ahn Cheol-soo Ahn Cheol-soo ( ; born 26 February 1962) is a South Korean politician, medical doctor, businessperson, and software entrepreneur. He currently serves as a member of the National Assembly as part of the conservative People Power Party. Pri ...

's People's Party (2020-2022), merged with the

People Power "People Power" is a political term denoting the populist driving force of any social movement which invokes the authority of grassroots opinion and willpower, usually in opposition to that of conventionally organised corporate or political for ...

. * Pro-Park Coalition (친박연대) (2012-2022) * Future Korean Peninsula Union (한반도미래연합) (2016-2022)

Liberal parties

Mainstream parties

* Korea Democratic Party → Democratic National Party (1945–1955) *

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

(1955–1961) *

Civil Rule Party The Civil Rule Party (, CRP), sometimes referred to as the Civil Rights Party, was a political party in South Korea. The party was the successor to the Democratic Party, supported by former President Yun Posun, and future Presidents Kim Dae-jung ...

(1963–1965) * People's Party → New Democratic Party (1965–1980) * Democratic Korea Party (1981–1988) * New Korea and Democratic Party (1984–1988) *

Reunification Democratic Party The Reunification Democratic Party (, RDP) was a political party of South Korea from 1987 to 1990. The party was established in April 1987 by Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam, splitting from the New Korean Democratic Party. The party faced anothe ...

(1987–1990) *

Peace Democratic Party The Peace Democratic Party (; PDP) was a political party of South Korea from 1987 to 1991. The party was established in October 1987 by Kim Dae-jung and his followers to contest the presidential election that year. The party later merged with ...

(1987–1991) *

(1991–1995) *

National Congress for New Politics The National Congress for New Politics (; NCNP) was a political party of South Korea. History The party was formed in 1995 as the National Congress for New Politics after Kim Dae-jung returned to active politics following his retirement in 1992 ...

(1995–2000) * Millennium Democratic Party → Democratic Party (2000–2008) * The People's Party for Freedom → Uri Party (2002–2007) * Grand Unified Democratic New Party (2007–2008) * United Democratic Party → Democratic Party (2008–2011) * Democratic United Party → Democratic Party (2011–2014)

Minor parties

(1963–1965) * Democratic Unification Party (1973–1980) *

(1990–1991) *

(1995–1997) * The Participation Party (2010–2011) * New Political Vision Party (2014) *

(2014–2016) * People's Party (2016–2018) *

(2018–2020) *

Party for Democracy and Peace A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature ...

(2018–2020) *

New Alternatives The New Alternatives (Korean: 대안신당) was a South Korean political party founded in 2020. History The New Alternatives was originally organised by the conservative dissidents of the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) on 16 July 2019, ...

(2019–2020) * Future Democratic Party (2020) * Open Democratic Party (2020–2022) *

Kim Dong-yeon Kim Dong-yeon (; born 28 January 1957) is a South Korean politician serving as 36th governor of Gyeonggi Province since 1 July 2022. He previously served as the 4th Minister of Economy and Finance and Deputy Prime Minister from 2017 to 2018. Kim ...

's New Wave - Squid Party (새로운물결 - 오징어당) (2021-2022)

Progressive parties

* Preparatory Committee for National Construction → People's Party of Korea → People's Labor Party (1945–1950) *

Workers' Party of South Korea The Workers' Party of South Korea ( ko, 남조선로동당) was a communist party in South Korea from 1946 to 1949. It was founded on 23 November 1946 through the merger of the Communist Party of South Korea, New People's Party of Korea and a fa ...

(1946–1953) *

Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of th ...

(1951–1953) *

Progressive Party Progressive Party may refer to: Active parties * Progressive Party, Brazil * Progressive Party (Chile) * Progressive Party of Working People, Cyprus * Dominica Progressive Party * Progressive Party (Iceland) * Progressive Party (Sardinia), Ita ...

(1956–1958, banned) *

United Socialist Party of Korea The United Socialist Party of Korea was a Left-wing political party in South Korea. The party was founded in the spring of 1961, through the merger of two groups.Kemseke, Peter van. Towards an Era of Development: The Globalization of Socialism an ...

(1961–1967) * Revolutionary Party for Reunification → National Democratic Front of South Korea → Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front (1969–2005, banned) * Hankyoreh Democratic Party (1988–1991) * People's Party (1988) * Popular 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) *

Unified Progressive Party The Unified Progressive Party (UPP; ko, 통합진보당, RR: ''Tonghap Jinbo-dang'', Hanja: 統合進步黨) is a banned political party in South Korea. It was founded on 5 December 2011 as a merger of the Democratic Labor Party, the People ...

(2011–2014, banned)Yonhap News Agency, December 19, 2014

“...South Korea's Constitutional Court on Friday ordered the dissolution of a pro-North Korean minor opposition party...” * People's United Party (South Korea), People's United Party (2016–2017) * New People's Party (2017) * Socialist Revolutionary Workers' Party, merged with Labor Party. (2016–2022)

Green parties

* Korea Greens (2004–2008)

Notes

References

Bibliography

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. {{Asia topic, List of political parties in

Current parties

Main parties

Local-parliamentary parties

Extra-parliamentary parties

Conservative parties

Centrist (or conservative liberal) parties

Liberal parties

Progressive parties

Single-issue parties

Unknown stances, third way, or syncretic parties

Parties in formation

Defunct parties

Conservative parties

Mainstream parties

Minor parties

Liberal parties

Mainstream parties

Minor parties

Progressive parties

Green parties

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography