Liberalism in South Korea
Template:Short description Template:Original research Template:Liberalism in South Korea Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists This article gives an overview of liberalism and its related history in South Korea. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support and representation in the National Assembly.
Historically, liberalism in South Korea emerged as an anti-military dictatorship movement. In contemporary South Korean politics, it represents a movement positioned opposite the conservatives. Liberal political parties include the Democratic Party of Korea and the Justice Party.
The Democratic Party of Korea is a reformist party and internationally considered centrist to center-left.<ref>The Democratic Party of Korea is described as a centrist party by numerous sources:Template:Bulleted list</ref><ref>The Democratic Party of Korea is also described as a center-left by numerous sources:Template:Bulleted list</ref> Although it is usually classified as a center-left party within South Korea, some studies consider its social conservative policies more right-leaning than center-right parties in Western Europe such as Christian Democratic Union of Germany.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Justice Party is to the left of the DPK but takes a more moderate stance than the far-left parties of Western Europe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
South Korean liberals tend to unite around several key issues: a conciliatory approach to North Korea, reparations for Japanese colonial rule, and, wherever possible, autonomy from interference by major powers, including the United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> South Korean liberalism is also based on a national liberalist independence movement against Japan. South Korean liberals support the Sunshine Policy toward North Korea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>
Introduction
Template:See also In South Korea, the term "liberalism" generally refers to classical liberalism.Template:NoteTag<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In South Korea, the labels "liberal" (Template:Korean) and "liberal democracy" (Template:Korean) are often claimed by conservatives to denote economic liberalism and anti-communism.Template:NoteTag<ref name="개화파">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="silver">Template:Cite journal</ref> Liberals, particularly those with left-leaning views, often use terms like "democrats", "ribuhruhl" (Template:Korean, the Korean pronunciation of "liberal") or "democratic camp" (Template:Korean) to set themselves apart from conservatives.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In South Korea, liberals and progressives are political forces with individual traditions,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but American liberalism is often translated as progressivism in the Korean language.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="liberal진보">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Justice Party officially supports social democracy, but since it is a party that inherited the political stake of the Uri Party, it is regarded as part of the South Korean progressive political party tradition and at the same time as part of the liberal political party tradition.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In South Korea, the terms "liberal," "liberty," "libertarian," and "freedom" all tend to be translated into Jayu (Template:Korean). For example, in South Korea, both Canada's "Liberal Party", Netherlands' "Party for Freedom" and the United States' "Libertarian Party" are read as Jayudang (Template:Korean) in Korean. Also, right-wing socially conservative media in South Korea regard the American tradition of right-libertarianism as progressive because it is culturally liberal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The main diplomatic point that defines liberalism in South Korea is "independence" (독립). Modern South Korean liberals tend to be more negative on immigration than the conservatives.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> South Korean liberals have a more nationalistic nature based on anti-imperialism in matters related to neighboring powers such as Japan. The anti-China Gaehwa Party / Independence Club at the end of the 19th century, and the anti-Japan Korean independence movement during the Japanese colonial era, formed Korea's early liberalism. On the other hand, Korea's conservative elites cooperated with neighboring powers such as Qing China and Japan for practical reasons. In modern South Korean politics, where socialism and anti-Americanism were thoroughly suppressed by conservatives with the support of the United States, liberals resent domestic interference by foreign powers. Thus, while they maintain cordial relations with the United States, they also seek to exercise strategic autonomy in its foreign policy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
South Korean liberals tends to take a nuanced and pragmatic stance towards China and Russia, preferring cooperation to promote peace on the peninsula. Thus, they tend to be more reluctant to take a strong stance on controversial issues such as the issue of Taiwan and disputes in the South China Sea. On the campaign trail, Lee Jae-myung questioned South Korean relevance in the Taiwan Strait issue.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> President Moon Jae-in stated that South Korea will not take sides in US-China rivalry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
South Korean liberals have represented Korean victims of Japanese war crimes since the 1990s. They oppose any agreement or cooperation with Japan until the Japanese government issues formal apologies to Korean victims and demonstrate sincere reflections on the horrors of the Japanese occupation of Korea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President Moon Jae-in stated the human rights of victims are more important than relations between countries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
South Korean liberals have a contradictory standard on international human rights violations. South Korean liberals are less critical of North Korea than conservatives and oppose the 'North Korean Human Rights Law' (북한인권법).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, South Korean liberals are more strongly opposed than conservatives to human rights violations in other authoritarian states (e.g., China, Myanmar, etc.) with the exception of North Korea. In 2021, Moon Jae-in government opposed Myanmar's military dictatorship and supported strong sanctions against Myanmar's military, but deliberately ignored North Korea's human rights violations. (This is related to the resistance-nationalist sentiment of South Korean liberals.)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2022, the liberal Kyunghyang Shinmun newspaper criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol for ignoring the human rights issue of Xinjiang.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
South Korean major liberals mainly criticize mainstream conservatives, distancing themselves from any heritage and relationship with the military dictatorship, insist on political reform and the rule of law, supporting the foreign policy of reconciliation with North Korea. They are distinguished from progressives and cultural liberals. South Korea liberals tend to be socially conservative in LGBT rights, Disability rights, abortion and minority rights issues. (The socially conservative tendency of South Korean liberals is not traditional conservatism based on Confucianism, but is more influenced by Christianity.)<ref name="Jacobin magazine">Template:Cite news</ref> They also tend to distance themselves from the (Including social democracy) "socialism" or fundamental "left-wing". Modern South Korean liberals tend to be more negative on immigration than the conservatives.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Domestically, they advocated the reform of the monopoly of the large industrial conglomerates known as chaebols. They also proposed the curtailing of investigative powers of the prosecutor's office, with such powers transferred to the police, as they viewed them as powerful political tools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
During the colonial period, Marxist historian Paek Nam-un evaluated Silhak as "pioneer of early modern period liberalism," while Ahn Jae-hong, a liberal nationalist, evaluated Silhak and Silhak scholar Chŏng Yagyong as "the origin of late modern period liberalism by presenting elimination of (feudal) class and support for equality". Silhak criticized the existing Confucian conservatism and Sadaejuui, aiming for political reform and pragmatism, and also argued for the superiority of Western science and technology. Some Silhak scholar also believed in Christianity.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Korea's first classical liberal and Enlightenmentists party was the Gaehwa Party, which appeared in 1874. They aimed for radical political and social reform, cut off unequal relations with the powerful Qing Dynasty and tried to create a completely independent Joseon Dynasty, and led by Seo Jae-pil in 1896 was a practical successor to the Gaehwa Party. Influenced by Japanese liberalism, they showed pro-Japanese tendencies, but at the same time insisted on independent Korea. In the 1900s, classical liberals and Enlightenmentists in Korea were largely divided into two groups. Some became Chinilpa who cooperated with Japan, and others who devoted themselves to the Korean independence movement.<ref name="개화파"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the colonial era, Korean liberalism is closely related to the Korean independence movement. South Korean historians say that the March 1st Movement, which took place in 1919, affected democracy and liberalism in South Korea as a movement involving many Koreans regardless of gender, religion, or occupation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Republic of Korean Provisional Government, established thanks to the value of the March 1st Movement, has established a modern national system in name and reality by introducing the separation of powers of government, parliament, and judiciary based on freedom and equality, and common elections including women. (However, since it was located in Shanghai, China, it was more of a Korean independence movement organization than a korean government.)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
After the end of Japanese colonial rule, with the inauguration of the Republic of Korea government, the word "liberal" has been used in South Korea for a while in a similar sense to anti-communism and anti-socialism. That is why not only ideological liberals but also hard-line conservatives and far-right anti-communists called themselves "liberal." A case in point was the "Liberal Party", a South Korean far-right national-conservative party influenced by Shōwa Statism, German and Italian fascism.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In particular, Syngman Rhee, the first president of the Liberal Party, committed authoritarian rule and election fraud based on Ilminism, an anti-liberal individual worship ideology from 1948 to 1960, and liberals and students who opposed it caused April Revolution. This was the first successful liberal revolution in South Korea.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Liberal parties
The political party that once were ruling party are in bold.
Before 1945
Minjudangkye tradition
In South Korea, South Korean's unique liberal and korean nationalist parties are often referred to as Minjudangkye parties (Template:Korean). In South Korea, usually "liberal" political parties mean "Minjudangkye" parties.<ref name="정당">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Mainstream parties
- Christian Social Democratic Party → Korea Democratic Party (1945–1949)
- Democratic Nationalist Party (1949–1955)
- Democratic Party (1955–1961; Governing period: 1960–1961)
- New Democratic Party → Civil Rights Party → Civilian's Party (1960–1967; Governing period: 1961–1962)
- New Democratic Party (1967–1980)
- Democratic Korea Party (1981–1988)
- New Korean Democratic Party (1984–1988)
- Peace Democratic Party → New Democratic Unionist Party (1987–1991)
- Reunification Democratic Party (1987–1990)
- Democratic Party (1991–1995)
- Democratic Party → National Congress for New Politics (1995–2000; Governing period: 1998–2000)
- Millennium Democratic Party → Democratic Party (2000–2008; Governing period: 2000–2003)
- Uri Party (2002–2007; Governing period: 2004–2007)
- Grand Unified Democratic New Party (2007–2008; Governing period: 2007-2008)
- United Democratic Party → Democratic Party (2008–2011)
- Democratic United Party → Democratic Party (2011–2014)
- New Politics Alliance for Democracy → Minjoo Party → Democratic Party (since 2014; Governing period: 2017–2022; since 2025)
- Platform Party (satellite party for the 2020 election)
- People's Party (2016–2018, splinter party)
- Bareunmirae Party (2018–2020, splinter party)
- Minsaeng Party (since 2020, splinter party)
- Democratic Alliance of Korea (satellite party for the 2024 election)
- Korea Innovation Party (since 2024. splinter party)
- New Future Party (since 2024. splinter party)
- Pine Tree Party (since 2024. splinter party)
Minor parties
- Democratic Party (1963–1965)
- Liberal Democratic Party (1963–1965)
- National Party (1971)
- Democratic Unification Party (1973–1980)
- Civil Rights Party (1981–1985)
- New Democratic Party (1985)
- Hankyoreh Democratic Party (1988–1991)
- Democratic Party (1990–1991)
- Democratic Party (1995–1997)
- Democratic Party (2007–2008)
- The Participation Party (2010–2011)
- Peace Democratic Party → People's Happiness Party (2010–2012)
- Real Democratic Party (2012)
- New Political Vision Party (2014)
- Minjoo Party (2014–2016)
- Party for Democracy and Peace (2018–2020)
- New Alternatives (2020)
- Open Democratic Party (2020–2022)
- Future Democratic Party (2020)
- Platform Party (2020)
- Transition Korea (since 2020)
- Basic Income Party (since 2020)
- New Wave (2021–2022)
Non-Minjudangkye
In South Korea, these political parties are not often referred to as general "liberal" in Korean language, but in an international context, they are clearly referred to as "liberal" political parties.
- Progressive Party (1956–1958)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Creative Korea Party (2007–2012)
- Unified Progressive Party (2011-2012)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:NoteTag
- People Party (2016–2018)
- Korean Welfare Party (since 2016)
- Grand National Unity Party (2017–2018)
- Bareunmirae Party (2018–2020)
- Justice Party (since 2012)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Dawn of Liberty Party (since 2019)Template:NoteTag
- Transition Korea (since 2020)
- Basic Income Party (since 2020)
- People Party (2020–2022)
- Minsaeng Party (since 2020)
Liberal media in South Korea
- Hankook Ilbo - centrist, classically liberal
- The Korea Times (English-language newspapers)
- Kyunghyang Shinmun - centre to centre-left, liberal
- The Hankyoreh - centre-left, socially liberal
- Cine21 (film magazine)
- OhmyNews - liberal-leaning, progressive liberal
Liberal organizations
In South Korea, 'political liberalism' and 'non-political liberalism' are distinguished. Therefore, the groups listed below may not be directly related to a particular political party or political power.
Civil rights organizations
- ASUNARO: Action for Youth Rights of Korea - Student rights
- Chingusai - LGBT rights
- Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination - Disability rights
- Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea - LGBT rights
Labour organizations
- Federation of Korean Trade Unions
- Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (factions) - There are also non-liberal/socialists within the KCTU.
- Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (factions)
Nationalist (liberal-nationalist) organizations
Libertarian organizations
South Korean libertarians define themselves as Jayujuuija (자유주의자). But South Korean center-left liberals also define themselves as Jayujuuija, so it is important in what context the South Korean political term is used
- Center for Free Enterprise<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> - libertarian/conservative
Other
Liberal presidents in South Korea
- Yun Bo-seon (Democratic) (1960–1962)
- Kim Dae-jung (National Congress for New Politics→Millennium Democratic Party) (1998–2003)
- Roh Moo-hyun (Millennium Democratic Party→Uri Party→United New Democratic Party) (2003–2008)
- Moon Jae-in (Democratic) (2017–2022)
- Lee Jae-myung (Democratic) (2025–present)
Major liberal parties election results of South Korea
Presidential elections
Legislative elections
Local elections
See also
- 386 Generation
- Anti-sadaejuui
- Classical liberalism
- Conservatism in South Korea
- Conservative liberalism<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (centre to centre-right)
- Economic liberalism
- Economic progressivism
- History of South Korea
- Liberalism in Japan - This influenced the formation of early Korean liberalism.
- List of political parties in South Korea
- Minjudang
- Politics of South Korea
- Progressivism in South Korea
- Social conservatism
- Social liberalism (centre-left)
- Social democracy (centre-left to left-wing)
- Student movements in Korea
- Sunshine policy
- Undongkwon
Notes
References
<references/>
Template:South Korean political parties Template:Liberalism Template:Asia topic