Liberalism in South Korea


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. 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 Democratic Union of Germany. The Justice Party is to the left of the DPK but takes a more moderate stance than the far-left parties of Western Europe.
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. South Korean liberalism is also based on a national liberalist independence movement against Japan. South Korean liberals support the Sunshine Policy toward North Korea.

Introduction

In South Korea, the term "liberalism" generally refers to classical liberalism. In South Korea, the labels "liberal" and "liberal democracy" are often claimed by conservatives to denote economic liberalism and anti-communism. Liberals, particularly those with left-leaning views, often use terms like "democrats", "ribuhruhl" or "democratic camp" to set themselves apart from conservatives.
In South Korea, liberals and progressives are political forces with individual traditions, but American liberalism is often translated as progressivism in the Korean language. 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.
In South Korea, the terms "liberal," "liberty," "libertarian," and "freedom" all tend to be translated into Jayu. For example, in South Korea, both Canada's "Liberal Party", Netherlands' "Party for Freedom" and the United States' "Libertarian Party" are read as Jayudang 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.
The main diplomatic point that defines liberalism in South Korea is "independence". Modern South Korean liberals tend to be more negative on immigration than the conservatives. 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.
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. President Moon Jae-in stated that South Korea will not take sides in US-China rivalry.
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. President Moon Jae-in stated the human rights of victims are more important than relations between countries.
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'. However, South Korean liberals are more strongly opposed than conservatives to human rights violations in other authoritarian states 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. In 2022, the liberal Kyunghyang Shinmun newspaper criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol for ignoring the human rights issue of Xinjiang.
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. They also tend to distance themselves from the "socialism" or fundamental "left-wing". Modern South Korean liberals tend to be more negative on immigration than the conservatives.
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.

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 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.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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.

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. In South Korea, usually "liberal" political parties mean "Minjudangkye" parties.

Mainstream parties

Minor parties

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.

Liberal media in South Korea

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

Labour organizations

Nationalist (liberal-nationalist) organizations

Libertarian organizations

South Korean libertarians define themselves as Jayujuuija. 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

Other

Liberal presidents in South Korea

Major liberal parties election results of South Korea

Legislative elections

ElectionTotal seats wonTotal votesShare of votesOutcome of electionStatusElection leaderParty name
1948916,32213.5%new 29 seats; Minorityin oppositionKim Seong-suKorea Democratic Party
1950683,9109.8%new 24 seats; Minorityin oppositionShin Ik-heeDemocratic National Party
1954593,4997.9%9 seats; Minorityin oppositionShin Ik-heeDemocratic National Party
19582,914,04934.0%new 79 seats; Minorityin oppositionChough Pyung-okDemocratic Party (1955)
19603,786,40141.7%96 seats; Majorityin governmentChough Pyung-okDemocratic Party (1955)
19631,870,97620.1%new 41 seats; Minorityin oppositionYun Bo-seonCivil Rule Party
19631,264,28513.6%new 14 seats; Minorityin oppositionPark Soon-cheonDemocratic Party (1963)
1963822,0008.8%new 2 seats; Minorityin oppositionHo ChongPeople's Party
19673,554,22432.7%new 45 seats; Minorityin oppositionYu Jin-oNew Democratic Party
1967323,2033.0%13 seats; extra-parliamentaryin oppositionDemocratic Party (1963)
19714,969,05044.4%44 seats; Minorityin oppositionKim Hong-ilNew Democratic Party
1971454,2574.1%new 1 seats; Minorityin oppositionYun Po-sunNational Party
19733,577,30032.5%37 seats; Minorityin oppositionYu Chin-sanNew Democratic Party
19733,577,30010.4%new seats; Minorityin oppositionYang Il-dongDemocratic Unification Party
19784,861,20432.8%9 seats; Minorityin oppositionYi Cheol-seungNew Democratic Party
19781,095,0577.4%new1 seats; Minorityin oppositionYang Il-dongDemocratic Unification Party
19813,495,82921.6%new 81 seats; Minorityin oppositionYu Chi-songDemocratic Korea Party
19811,088,8476.7%new 2 seats; Minorityin oppositionCivil Rights Party
19855,843,82729.3%new 67 seats; Minorityin oppositionLee Min-wooNew Korean Democratic Party
19853,930,96619.7%46 seats; Minorityin oppositionYu Chi-songDemocratic Korea Party
19853,930,96619.7%new 1 seats; Minorityin oppositionGap-jong YuNew Democratic Party
1985112,6540.6%2 seats; extra-parliamentaryin oppositionCivil Rights Party
19884,680,17523.8%new 59 seats; in Coalition in oppositionKim Myeong-yunReunification Democratic Party
19883,783,27919.3%new 70 seats; in Coalition in oppositionPark Yeong-sukPeace Democratic Party
1988251,2361.3%new 1 seats; Minorityin oppositionYe Chun-hoHankyoreh Democratic Party
19880.4%extra-parliamentaryin opposition–Others
19926,004,57729.2%new 97 seats; Minorityin oppositionKim Dae-jungDemocratic Party (1991)
19964,971,96125.3%new 79 seats; in Coalition in opposition Kim Dae-jungNational Congress for New Politics
19964,971,96125.3%new 79 seats; in Coalition in government Kim Dae-jungNational Congress for New Politics
19962,207,69511.2%new 15 seats; Minorityin oppositionChang Eul-byungUnited Democratic Party
20006,780,62535.9%new 115 seats; in Coalition in governmentKim Dae-jungMillennium Democratic Party
20048,145,82438.3%new 152 seats; Majorityin governmentChung Dong-youngUri Party
20041,510,1787.1%53 seats; Minorityin governmentChoug Soon-hyungMillennium Democratic Party
20084,313,11125.1%new 81 seats; Minorityin oppositionSon Hak-gyuUnited Democratic Party
2008651,9933.8%new 3 seats; Minorityin oppositionMoon Kook-hyunCreative Korea Party
20127,777,12336.5%new 127 seats; Minorityin oppositionHan Myeong-sookDemocratic United Party
201291,9350.4% 3 seats; extra-parliamentaryin oppositionMoon Kook-hyunCreative Korea Party
201248,6480.2%new 0 seats; extra-parliamentaryin oppositionHan Kwang-okReal Democratic Party
20166,069,74425.5%new 123 seats; Pluralityin opposition Kim Chong-inDemocratic Party
20166,069,74425.5%new 123 seats; Pluralityin government Kim Chong-inDemocratic Party
20166,355,57226.7%new 38 seats; Minorityin oppositionAhn Cheol-sooPeople's Party
20161,719,891 7.23% new 6 seats; Minorityin oppositionSim Sang-jungJustice Party
2016209,872 0.88% extra-parliamentaryin oppositionShin Ki-namDemocratic Party
202014,345,425
9,307,112 		49.9%
33.4% 		52 seats; Majorityin governmentLee Hae-chanDemocratic Party
Platform Party
20202,697,956 9.7% 6 seats; Minorityin oppositionSim Sang-jungJustice Party
20201,896,719 6.8% new 3 seats; Minorityin oppositionAhn Cheol-sooPeople Party
20201,512,763 5.4% new 3 seats; Minorityin oppositionLee Keun-shikOpen Democratic Party
20201.45%
2.98% 		extra-parliamentaryin opposition–Others
202414,758,083
7,567,459 		51.2%
26.7% 		5 seats; Majorityin oppositionLee Jae-myungDemocratic Party
Democratic Alliance
20246,874,278 24.3% new 12 seats; Minorityin oppositionCho KukRebuilding Korea Party
2024609,313 2.1% 6 seats; extra-parliamentaryin oppositionSim Sang-jungGreen–Justice Party
2024483,827 1.7% new 1 seats; Minorityin oppositionLee Nak-yonNew Future Party
20240.07%
0.46% 		extra-parliamentaryin opposition–Others