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. It has sometimes been described as having characteristics of a two-party system. At least one of the many political parties has a chance of gaining power alone.

Current parties

Parties represented in the National Assembly

<div style="overflow:auto">

</div>

Extra-parliamentary parties

Conservative parties

• ()
• Our Republican Party ()
• ()
• Saenuri Party (2017) ()
• ()
• All Citizen's Participatory Party ()
• ()
• ()
• Korean Independence Party ()
• ()
• ()
• ()
• ()
• People's Grand United Party ()
• ()
• ()
• Liberal Unification Party ()
• ()

Centrist (or conservative liberal) parties

• ()
• ()
• ()
• Party for People's Livelihood ()
• ()

Liberal parties

• ()
• Open Democratic Party (), a recreation of the now-dissolved Open Democratic Party, which merged with the Democratic Party on 12 January 2022.
• ()
• Pine Tree Party ()
• New Future Democratic Party ()

Progressive parties

• Labor Party ()
• Justice Party ()
• Green Party ()
• Our Future ()
• ()

Single-issue parties

• Women's Party ()
• People's Democracy Party ()
• (), aimed at eliminating the special privilege of sitting lawmakers not being able to be tried for crimes while serving as lawmaker.

Unknown stances, third position, or syncretic parties

• National Revolutionary Party ()
• (), Samgyun-ist party, where republican and nationalist political thought merge.
• (), an electoral alliance party of 10 minor conservative parties. Formerly known as the Chungcheong's Future Party. (2020–2023)
• Taegeun (태건당), a pseudo-religious party created on the basis of the religious cult of the Dragon Empire.

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 (1951–1960)
• Democratic Republican Party (1963–1980)
• Democratic Justice Party (1981–1990)
• Democratic Liberal Party → New Korea Party (1990–1997)
• Hannara Party → Saenuri Party → Liberty Korea Party (1997–2020)
• People Future Party (), a satellite party of the ruling People Power. (2024)

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 (1995–2006)
• People First Party (2005–2008)
• Liberty Forward Party → Advancemen
• Evergreen Korea Party (2017–2018)
• Grand National United Party (2017–2018)
• Bareun Party (2017–2018)
• Bareunmirae Party (2018–2020)
• New Conservative Party (2020)
• Republican Party () (2014–2020), merged with Christian Liberal Unification Party () to form National Revolutionary Party ().
• (2021)
• Free Korea 21 (2016–2021), formerly Korea Economic Party, merged with .
• Ahn Cheol-soo's People's Party (2020–2022), merged with the People Power.
• Pro-Park Coalition () (2012–2022)
• () (2016–2022)
• () (2020–2024)
• () (2021–2024)
• Dawn of Liberty () (2019–2024)
• Pro-Park New Party () (2020–2024), merged with the People Power Party.

Liberal parties

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, banned)
• Democratic Korea Party (1981–1988)
• New Korea and Democratic Party (1984–1988)
• Reunification Democratic Party (1987–1990)
• Peace Democratic Party (1987–1991)
• Democratic Party (1991–1995)
• National Congress for New Politics (1995–2000)
• Millennium Democratic Party → Democratic Party (2000–2008)
• 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)
• Democratic Alliance of Korea (), a satellite party of the Democratic Party, Progressive Party and Basic Income Party. (2024)

Minor parties

• Democratic Party (1963–1965)
• Democratic Unification Party (1973–1980)
• Democratic Party (1990–1991)
• Democratic Party (1995–1997)
• The Participation Party (2010–2011)
• New Political Vision Party (2014)
• Democratic Party (2014–2016)
• People's Party (2016–2018)
• Party for Democracy and Peace (2018–2020)
• New Alternatives (2019–2020)
• Future Democratic Party (2020)
• Open Democratic Party (2020–2022)
• Kim Dong-yeon's New Wave - Squid Party () (2021–2022)
• Transition Korea (2020–2023), merged into conservative People Power.
• Hope of Korea (2023–2024), merged into Lee Jun-seok's New Reform Party.
• ()
• () (2022–2024)
• () (2024)

Progressive parties

• Preparatory Committee for National Construction → People's Party of Korea → People's Labor Party (1945–1950)
• Workers' Party of South Korea (1946–1953, banned)
• Korean Social Democratic Party (조선사회민주당, banned)
• Socialist Party (1951–1953)
• Progressive Party (1956–1958, banned)
• United Socialist Party of Korea (1961–1967, banned)
• 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 (2011–2014, banned)
• People's United Party (2016–2017)
• New People's Party (2017)
• Socialist Revolutionary Workers' Party, merged with Labor Party. (2016–2022)
• () (2020–2024)

Green parties

• Korea Greens (2004–2008)
• (; 2020–2024)

Unknown or syncretic parties

• (), pan-Korean nationalism and Cheondoism, 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. Merged with Chungcheong's Future Party to create . (2021–2023)
• (), (single-issue) merged into . (2020–2024)
• () (2020–2024)

Banned political movements

• General Association of Korean Residents in Japan "Chongryon" (총련)
• South Korean National Liberation Front Preparation Committee (남조선민족해방전선준비위원회)

See also

• List of ruling political parties by country
• Politics of South Korea
• Conservatism in South Korea
• Liberalism in South Korea
• Progressivism in South Korea

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.