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This article lists political parties in South Korea.

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

Current parties※

Parties represented in the National Assembly※

This section needs——to be, updated. Please help update this article——to reflect recent events. Or newly available information. (April 2024)

Party Abbr. Leader Floor leader Ideology Political position Policy toward North National Assembly Parliamentary group  

• Democratic Party
• 더불어민주당
• 더불어民主黨
• Deobureominjudang

DPK Lee Jae-myung Park Hong-keun Liberalism (South Korean) Centre to centre-left Pro-Sunshine Policy

153 / 300

 

• People Power Party
• 국민의힘
• 國民의힘
• Gungminuihim

PPP Han Dong-hoon Yoon Jae-ok Conservatism (South Korean) Right-wing Anti-North

114 / 300

Without parliamentary group

• Green-Justice Party
• 녹색정의당
• 綠色正義黨
• Noksaekjeonguidang

JP Kim Jun-woo Sim Sang-jung

• Liberalism (South Korean)
• Progressivism (South Korean)

Centre-left to left-wing Moderate

6 / 300

• New Future
• 새로운미래
• 새로운未來
• Saerounmirae

NFP Lee Nak-yon Kim Jong-min Centrist reformism N/A N/A

5 / 300

• New Reform Party
• 개혁신당
• Gaehyeokshindang

NRP Lee Jun-seok Yang Hyang-ja Conservatism N/A

4 / 300

• Basic Income Party
• 기본소득당
• Gibonsodeukdang

BIP Mun Mi-jeong Yong Hye-in Universal basic income Single-issue None

1 / 300

• Rebuilding Korea Party
• 조국혁신당
• Jogukhyeokshindang

RKP Cho Kuk Hwang Un-ha Progressivism
Liberalism
Reformism Centre-left Pro-Sunshine Policy

1 / 300

• Liberal Unification Party
• 자유통일당
• 自由統一黨
• Jayutongildang

LUP Jeon Kwang-hoon Hwangbo Seung-hee Christian conservatism
Korean nationalism
Anti-communism
Anti-Islam Far-right Anti-North

1 / 300

• Progressive Party
• 진보당
• 進步黨
• Jinbodang

PP Yoon Hee-suk Kang Sung-hee Progressivism (South Korean) Left-wing Strongly pro-Sunshine Policy

1 / 300

1. ^ The Justice Party is considered a solid 'left-wing'/'progressive' in South Korea's political landscape. However, some of the researchers have evaluated the "Justice Party as radical in South Korea's conservative political landscape." But still more moderate than the centre-left social democrats in Europe.
2. ^ JP does not support anti-communism and is moderate-open to dialogue with the North Korean government. However, "unlike the DPK," which supports a friendly approach to North Korea.
3. ^ 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. This is due to the party descending from the Minjokhaebang-wing (National Liberation faction) of progressivism in South Korea, who were described as being left-wing nationalists, reunificationists and anti-American.

Extra-parliamentary parties※

Conservative parties※

• Republican Party of South Korea (공화당)
• Pro-Park New Party (친박신당)
• Our Republican Party (우리공화당)
• Korean National Party (한국국민당)
• Saenuri Party (2017) (새누리당)
• Hannara Party (2014) (한나라당)
• All Citizen's Participatory Party (가가국민참여신당)
• Gana! The Anti-Communist Party of Korea (가나반공정당코리아)
• The Christian Party (기독당)
• Korean Independence Party (한국독립당)
• Every House Public Election Grand Party (가가호호공명선거대한당)
• Liberty Democratic Party (자유민주당)
• New Korean Peninsula Party (신한반도당)
• Korean People's Party (대한국민당)
• People's Grand United Party (국민대통합당)
• National Solidarity for National Unity (국민통합연대)
• Future Korean Peninsula Party (한반도미래당)

Centrist (or conservative liberal) parties※

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

Liberal parties※

• Republic of Korea Party (대한민국당)
• K-Political Innovation Union Party (K정치혁신연합당)
• 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 (한국농어민당)
• Pine Tree Party (소나무당)

Progressive parties※

• Labor Party (노동당)
• Justice Party (정의당)
• Green Party (녹색당)
• Our Future (미래당)
• National Sovereignty Party(국민주권당)
• Social Democratic Party (사회민주당)

Single-issue parties※

• Women's Party (여성의당)
• People's Democracy Party (민중민주당)
• Party for the Abolition of Special Privileges (가락특권폐지당), 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

Unknown stances, third position. Or syncretic parties※

• National Revolutionary Party (국가혁명당)
• United Korean People's Party (통일한국당), Samgyun-ist party, where republican and "nationalist political thought merge."
• Towards Tomorrow, Towards the Future (내일로미래로), an electoral alliance party

of 10 minor conservative parties. Formerly known as the Chungcheong's Future Party. (2020-2023)

• Taegon Party (태건당), a pseudo-religious party created from the Dragon Empire religious cult.

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's 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.
• Ahn Cheol-soo's People's Party (2020–2022), merged with the People Power.
• Pro-Park Coalition (친박연대) (2012–2022)
• Future Korean Peninsula Union (한반도미래연합) (2016–2022)
• Liberty Party (자유당) (2020-2024)
• Revolution Party (혁명21당) (2021-2024)
• Dawn of Liberty (자유의새벽당) (2019-2024)

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)
• 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)

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)
• Bareunmirae Party (2018–2020)
• 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)
• Transition Korea (2020-2023), merged into conservative People Power.
• Hope of Korea (2023-2024), merged into Lee Jun-seok's New Reform Party.
• Awakened Civic Solidarity Party (깨어있는시민연대당)

Progressive parties※

• Preparatory Committee for National Construction → People's Party of Korea → People's Labor Party (1945–1950)
• Socialist Party (1951–1953)
• Progressive Party (1956–1958, banned)
• United Socialist Party of Korea (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 (2011–2014, banned)
• People's United Party (2016–2017)
• New People's Party (2017)
• Socialist Revolutionary Workers' Party, merged with Labor Party. (2016–2022)
• Let's Go! Peace and Human Rights Party (가자!평화인권당) (2020-2024)

Green parties※

• Korea Greens (2004–2008)
• Let's Go! Environmental Party (가자환경당) (2020-2024)

Unknown or syncretic parties※

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

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.