List of political parties in South Korea

This article lists political parties in South Korea.

South Korea has a weakly institutionalized multi-party system,^[1][2] characterized by frequent changes in party arrangements. At least one of the many political parties has a chance of gaining power alone.

Current parties

Parties represented in the National Assembly

Party			Abbr.	Leader	Ideology	Political position	Policy toward North Korea	National Assembly	Governors
		Democratic Party 더불어민주당 Deobureominjudang	DPK	Lee Jae-myung	Liberalism	Centre[3] to centre-left[4]	Pro-Sunshine Policy	170 / 300	5 / 17
		People Power Party 국민의힘 Gungminuihim	PPP	Han Dong-hoon	Conservatism	Right-wing	Against dialogue	108 / 300	12 / 17
		Rebuilding Korea Party 조국혁신당 Jogukhyeokshindang	RKP	Cho Kuk	Progressivism Liberalism	Centre-left	Pro-Sunshine Policy[5]	12 / 300	0 / 17
		Reform Party 개혁신당 Gaehyeokshindang	RP	Her Eun-a	Conservatism[6]	Centre-right[7]	None	3 / 300	0 / 17
		Progressive Party 진보당 Jinbodang	PP	Kim Jae-yeon	Progressivism	Left-wing[a]	Pro-Sunshine Policy[10]	3 / 300	0 / 17
		Basic Income Party 기본소득당 Gibonsodeukdang	BIP	Yong Hye-in	Universal basic income	Single-issue	None	1 / 300	0 / 17
		Social Democratic Party 사회민주당 Sahoeminjudang	SDP	Han Chang-min	Social democracy	Centre-left	None	1 / 300	0 / 17

1. The Progressive Party is often described as "far-left" in South Korea due to its sympathies toward North Korea, opposition to the U.S. military presence in South Korea, and political similarities with the defunct Unified Progressive Party.^[8][9] This is due to the party descending from the Minjokhaebang-wing [ko] (National Liberation faction) of progressivism in South Korea, which was described as being left-wing nationalists, reunificationists and anti-American.

Extra-parliamentary parties

Conservative parties

Main article: Conservatism in South Korea

• Republican Party of South Korea [ko] (공화당)
• Our Republican Party (우리공화당)
• Korean National Party (2015) [ko] (한국국민당)
• Saenuri Party (2017) (새누리당)
• Hannara Party (2014) [ko] (한나라당)
• All Citizen's Participatory Party (가가국민참여신당)
• Gana! The Anti-Communist Party of Korea [ko] (가나반공정당코리아)
• The Christian Party [ko] (기독당)
• Korean Independence Party (한국독립당)
• Every House Public Election Grand Party [ko] (가가호호공명선거대한당)
• Liberty Democratic Party (South Korea, 2021) [ko] (자유민주당)
• New Korean Peninsula Party [ko] (신한반도당)
• Korean People's Party [ko] (대한국민당) ^[11]
• People's Grand United Party (국민대통합당)^[12]
• National Solidarity for National Unity [ko] (국민통합연대) ^[13]
• Future Korean Peninsula Party [ko] (한반도미래당)
• Liberal Unification Party (자유통일당)

Centrist (or conservative liberal) parties

• Hongik Party [ko] (홍익당)
• Elders' Welfare Party [ko] (노인복지당)
• Korean Wave Alliance Party [ko] (한류연합당)
• Party for People's Livelihood (민생당)
• People's Policy Party [ko] (국민정책당)

Liberal parties

Main article: Liberalism in South Korea

• Republic of Korea Party [ko] (대한민국당)
• Open Democratic Party (열린민주당), a recreation of the now-dissolved Open Democratic Party, which merged with the Democratic Party on 12 January 2022.
• Korea's Farmer and Fisherman's Party [ko] (한국농어민당)
• Pine Tree Party (소나무당)
• New Future Democratic Party (새로운미래)

Progressive parties

Main article: Progressivism in South Korea

• Labor Party (노동당)
• Justice Party (정의당)^[a]
• Green Party (녹색당)
• Our Future (미래당)
• National Sovereignty Party [ko](국민주권당)

Single-issue parties

• Women's Party (여성의당)
• People's Democracy Party (민중민주당)
• Garak (party) [ko] (가락당), aimed at eliminating the special privilege of sitting lawmakers not being able to be tried for crimes while serving as lawmaker.
• Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Party [ko]

Unknown stances, third position, or syncretic parties

• National Revolutionary Party (국가혁명당)
• United Korean People's Party [ko] (통일한국당), Samgyun-ist party, where republican and nationalist political thought merge.^[14]
• Towards Tomorrow, Towards the Future [ko] (내일로미래로), 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.

Party name	Registration date	Party leader	Petitioning deadline	Notes
Small Business Party 소상공인당	18 March 2024	Kim Jae-heum	18 September 2024	A single-issue moderate reformist party for protecting small business owners and the middle class.
Nuclear Nation Party 핵나라당	14 May 2024	Jeong Hui-won	14 November 2024	A Hitlerite party that has submitted its attempted registration for the 8th time[15]
Every House Public Election's Party 가가호호공명선거당	27 May 2024	Min Hyeong-wook	17 November 2024	Single-issue party meant to reform the election management system.

Defunct parties

Timeline of all mainstream political parties from 1945 to 2014

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)
• Hannara Party → Saenuri Party → Liberty Korea Party (1997–2020)
• People Future Party (국민의미래), 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 → Advancement Unification Party (2008–2012)
• Pro-Park Coalition → Future Hope Alliance (2008–2012)
• Hannara Party (2012)
• 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 (공화당) (2014–2020), merged with Christian Liberal Unification Party (기독자유통일당) to form National Revolutionary Party (국민혁명당).
• Uri Party (2021)
• Free Korea 21 (2016–2021), formerly Korea Economic Party, merged with Liberty Democratic Party (South Korea, 2021) [ko].
• Ahn Cheol-soo's People's Party (2020–2022), merged with the People Power.
• Pro-Park Coalition (친박연대) (2012–2022)
• Future Korean Peninsula Union [ko] (한반도미래연합) (2016–2022)
• Liberty Party (South Korea, 2020) [ko] (자유당) (2020–2024)
• Revolution 21 [ko] (혁명21당) (2021–2024)
• Dawn of Liberty (자유의새벽당) (2019–2024)
• Pro-Park New Party (친박신당) (2020–2024), merged with the People Power Party.

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, 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 (국민의미래), 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 (새로운물결 - 오징어당) (2021–2022)^[16]
• Transition Korea (2020–2023), merged into conservative People Power.^[17]
• Hope of Korea (2023–2024), merged into Lee Jun-seok's New Reform Party.
• Awakened Civic Solidarity Party [ko] (깨어있는시민연대당)^[b]
• K-Political Innovation Union Party [ko] (K정치혁신연합당) (2022–2024)^[c]
• New Party (South Korea) [ko] (새로운선택) (2024)

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, 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)^[18]
• People's United Party (2016–2017)
• New People's Party (2017)
• Socialist Revolutionary Workers' Party,^[d] merged with Labor Party. (2016–2022)^[19]
• Let's Go! Peace and Human Rights Party [ko] (가자!평화인권당) (2020–2024)^[e]

Green parties

• Korea Greens (2004–2008)
• Let's Go! Environmental Party [ko] (가자환경당; 2020–2024)^[f]

Unknown or syncretic parties

• New Han People's Peninsula Peace Party [ko] (신한반도체제평화당), 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 Towards Tomorrow, Towards the Future [ko]. (2021–2023)
• Functional Self-Employment Party [ko] (직능자영업당), (single-issue) merged into Towards Tomorrow, Towards the Future [ko]. (2020–2024)
• Small and Medium-sized Businesses and Self-employed Peoples' Party [ko] (중소자영업당) (2020–2024)^[g]

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

1. Has elected local city councilors around the country.
2. Disbanded 24 March 2024 after not registering candidates for the 2024 Parliament election
3. Self-dissolved after coming second-to-last in the 2024 South Korean legislative election
4. an unregistered left-wing to far-left political party. It is unable to register due to a ban on openly socialist or communist parties under the National Security Act.
5. Dissolved by the National Elections Commission in 2024 for not participating in an election for 4 years
6. Dissolved by the National Elections Commission in 2024 for not participating in an election for 4 years
7. Dissolved by the National Elections Commission in 2024 for not participating in an election for 4 years