Conservatism in South Korea
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Conservatism (Korean: 보수주의; Hanja: 保守主義; RR: bosujuui) in South Korea is chiefly associated with the People Power Party (South Korea). Traditional South korea conservatism is a political and social philosophy characterized by Korean culture traditions originating from Confucianism in Korea, pro-business, opposition to trade unions, strong national defense, free trade, anti-communism, pro-communitarianism and anti-welfare state. Until May 10, 2017, the conservative Park Geun-hye government was the last conservative government of the Sixth Republic of South Korea.
Starting from the dictatorship of Syngman Rhee, South Korean conservatism has been influenced from the military dictatorships of Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan. In domestic policy, South Korean conservatism has a strong elitist streak and promotes rapid modernization and social stability.[1] However, since the mid-to-late 2010s, conservatives with populist tendencies have become more prominent in the public sphere.
Unlike conservatives in the United States, conservatives in South Korea often define themselves as "liberal" in a similar sense to "anti-socialist". However, they are distinct from the general "liberal" in South Korea.[2][3][4]
Values[]
Conservatism in South Korea is fervently anti-communist. South Korean conservatives oppose relations with North Korea and support upholding the National Security Act. Because of this, conservatives oppose ethnic nationalism. South Korean conservatives' nationalism is mixed ethnic nationalism with civic nationalism. However, conservatives are less receptive to multiculturalism than liberals.
South Korea’s conservative philosophy is derived in part from Asian values, Confucianist social conservatism and Neoliberalism, so conservatives believe in economic liberalism and oppose welfare states. But due to the influence of the Park Chung-hee, conservatives also advocate for economic interventionism.
Conservatives also advocate communitarianism because conservatives are influenced by Korean culture traditions originating from Confucianism in Korea.
Conservatives strongly oppose LGBT rights, with former Liberty Korea Party candidate Hong Jun-pyo blaming homosexuals for weakening the South Korean military and spreading AIDs during the 2017 presidential debates.[5]
In 2020, People Power Party (South Korea)’s leader Kim Chong-in apologized for the Gwangju Democratization Movement.[6] But some conservative citizen groups such as the and protested at UNESCO headquarters in Paris in May 2011 to prevent inscribing the records of the Gwangju Democratization Movement in the Memory of the World Register, and to petition for "reconsidering identifying North Korean Special Forces as the perpetrators of the GDM.[7]
Jeong Tae-heon, a professor of Korean history at Korea University has expressed concerns that disputes over the term Jayuminjujuui (Korean: 자유민주주의; lit. "liberal democracy" or "free and democracy") reflect a strong conservative bias reacting against North Korea's political ideologies, similar to political views seen in 1950.[8]
It has been alleged that the South Korean right has promoted McCarthyism-like red scares among the South Korean public.[9][clarification needed] This includes an incident before the 1996 Legislative elections, where conservative lawmakers were arrested for secretly meeting with North Korean agents in Beijing to seek North's help in manipulating the outcome of the election in exchange for payoffs.[10] The North fired artillery into the Join Security Zone on the DMZ, which caused panic among South Korean electorates, benefiting the conservative party.[11]
Media[]
The Chojoongdong media cartel wields the largest political influence in the South Korean political scene through newspaper and other print publications. The three media cartels have been criticized for fabricating stories against North Korea to support conservative rhetoric.
Conservative parties[]
The political party that once were ruling party are in bold. KIP is the exception for being a ruling party during Provisional Governmental era.
Mainstream parties[]
- Korea Independence Party (1928–1970)
- National Alliance for the Rapid Realization of Korean Independence (1946–1958; Governing period: 1948–1950)
- Korea Nationalist Party (1948–1958; Governing years: 1950–1954)
- Liberal Party (1951–1970; Governing period: 1954–1960)
- Democratic Republican Party (1963–1980)
- Korean National Party → New Democratic Republican Party (1980–1990)
- Democratic Justice Party (1980–1990 also as governing period)
- Democratic Liberal Party → New Korea Party (1990–1997)
- United Liberal Democrats (1992–2006)
- Grand National Party → Saenuri Party → Liberty Korea Party (1997–2020; Governing period: 2007–2017)
- Liberty Forward Party → Advancement Unification Party (2006–2012)
- Pro-Park Coalition → Future Hope Alliance (2007–2012)
- Bareun Party (2016–2018)
- Bareunmirae Party (2018–2020)
- New Conservative Party (2020)
- United Future Party → People Power Party (since 2020)
- Future Korea Party (satellite party for the 2020 election)
Minor parties[]
- Korean Resistance Party (1945–1950)
- Korean National Youth Association (1946-1949)
- (1947–1951)
- (1947–1958)
- (1973–1980)
- United People's Party → Democratic Party (1992–1995)
- New Korea Party of Hope (2000–2001)
- People First Party (2005–2008)
- Chinbak Yeondae (since 2012)
- Patriotic Party → United Korean Party → New National Participation Party (since 2015)
- Korea Economic Party (since 2016)
- Saenuri Party (since 2017)
- Dawn of Liberty Party (since 2019)
- Our Republican Party (since 2020)
- Pro-Park New Party (since 2020)
Conservative presidents[]
- Rhee Syng-man (Liberal Party, 1948–1960)
- Park Chung-hee (Military junta/Democratic Republican Party, 1962–1979)
- Chun Doo-hwan (Military junta/Democratic Justice Party, 1980–1988)
- Roh Tae-woo (Democratic Justice Party→Democratic Liberal Party, 1988–1993)
- Kim Young-sam (Democratic Liberal Party→New Korea Party→Grand National Party, 1993–1998)
- Lee Myung-bak (Grand National Party→Saenuri Party, 2008–2013)
- Park Geun-hye (Saenuri Party→Liberty Korea Party, 2013–2017)
Major conservative parties election results of South Korea[]
| Election | Candidate | Total votes | Share of votes | Outcome | Party Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Rhee Syng-man | 180 (electoral vote) | 91.8% | Elected 
|
NARKKI |
| Kim Gu | 13 (electoral vote) | 6.7% | Defeated 
|
Korean Independence Party | |
| 1952 | Rhee Syng-man | 5,238,769 | 74.6% | Elected
|
Liberal Party |
| 1956 | Rhee Syng-man | 5,046,437 | 70.0% | Elected
|
Liberal Party |
| March 1960 | Rhee Syng-man | 9,633,376 | 100.0% | Elected
|
Liberal Party |
| August 1960 | no candidate | N/A | |||
| 1963 | Park Chung-hee | 4,702,640 | 46.6% | Elected
|
Democratic Republican Party |
| 1967 | Park Chung-hee | 5,688,666 | 51.4% | Elected
|
Democratic Republican Party |
| 1971 | Park Chung-hee | 6,342,828 | 53.2% | Elected
|
Democratic Republican Party |
| 1972 | Park Chung-hee | 2,357 (electoral vote) | 99.91 | Elected
|
Democratic Republican Party |
| 1978 | Park Chung-hee | 2,578 (electoral vote) | 99.96% | Elected
|
Democratic Republican Party |
| 1981 | Chun Doo-hwan | 4,755 (electoral vote) | 90.2% | Elected
|
Democratic Justice Party |
| 1987 | Roh Tae-woo | 8,282,738 | 36.6% | Elected
|
Democratic Justice Party |
| Kim Young-sam | 6,337,581 | 28.0% | Defeated
|
Reunification Democratic Party | |
| Kim Jong-pil | 1,823,067 | 8.1% | Defeated
|
New Democratic Republican Party | |
| 1992 | Kim Young-sam | 9,977,332 | 42.0% | Elected
|
Democratic Liberal Party |
| Chung Ju-yung | 3,880,067 | 16.3% | Defeated
|
||
| 1997 | Lee Hoi-chang | 9,935,718 | 38.7% | Defeated
|
Grand National Party |
| 2002 | Lee Hoi-chang | 11,443,297 | 46.5% | Defeated
|
Grand National Party |
| 2007 | Lee Myung-bak | 11,492,389 | 48.7% | Elected
|
Grand National Party |
| 2012 | Park Geun-hye | 15,773,128 | 51.6% | Elected
|
Saenuri Party |
| 2017 | Hong Jun-pyo | 7,852,849 | 24.03% | Defeated
|
Liberty Korea Party |
| Yoo Seung-min | 2,208,771 | 6.76% | Defeated
|
Bareun Party | |
General elections[]
| Election | Total seats won | Total votes | Share of votes | Outcome of election | Status | Election leader | Party Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 55 / 200
|
1,755,543 | 26.1 | new 55 seats; Minority | in government | Rhee Syng-man | NARRKI |
| 1950 | 24 / 210
|
677,173 | 9.7 | new 24 seats; Minority | in government | Yun Chi-young | Korea Nationalist Party |
14 / 210
|
473,153 | 6.8 |  41 seats; Minority
|
in government | Rhee Syng-man | National Association | |
| 1954 | 114 / 203
|
2,756,061 | 36.8 | new 114 seats; Majority | in government | Rhee Syng-man | Liberal Party |
3 / 210
|
192,109 | 2.6 | 11 seats; Minority
|
in government | National Association | ||
3 / 203
|
72,923 | 1.0 | 21 seats; Minority
|
in government | Yun Chi-young | Korea Nationalist Party | |
| 1958 | 126 / 233
|
3,607,092 | 42.1 |  12 seats; Majority
|
in government | Rhee Syng-man | Liberal Party |
| 1960 | 2 / 233
|
249,960 | 2.8 | 124 seats; Majority
|
in opposition | Rhee Syng-man | Liberal Party |
| 1963 | 110 / 175
|
3,112,985 | 33.5% | new 110 seats; Majority | in government | Park Chung-hee | Democratic Republican Party |
| 1967 | 129 / 175
|
5,494,922 | 50.6% | 19 seats; Majority
|
in government | Park Chung-hee | Democratic Republican Party |
| 1971 | 113 / 204
|
5,460,581 | 48.8% | 16 seats; Majority
|
in government | Park Chung-hee | Democratic Republican Party |
| 1973 | 146 / 219
|
4,251,754 | 38.7% | 40 seats; Majority
|
in government | Park Chung-hee | Democratic Republican Party |
| 1978 | 145 / 231
|
4,695,995 | 31.7% | 2 seats; Majority
|
in government | Park Chung-hee | Democratic Republican Party |
| 1981 | 151 / 276
|
5,776,624 | 35.6% | new 151 seats; Majority | in government | Chun Doo-hwan | Democratic Justice Party |
25 / 276
|
2,147,293 | 13.2% | new 15 seats; Minority | in opposition | Kim Jong-cheol | Korean National Party | |
| 1985 | 148 / 276
|
7,040,811 | 34.0% | 3 seats; Majority
|
in government | Chun Doo-hwan | Democratic Justice Party |
20 / 276
|
1,828,744 | 9.2% | 5 seats; Minority
|
in opposition | Kim Jong-cheol | Korean National Party | |
| 1988 | 125 / 299
|
6,675,494 | 34.0% | 23 seats; Minority
|
in government | Roh Tae-woo | Democratic Justice Party |
35 / 299
|
3,062,506 | 15.6% | new 35 seats; Minority | in opposition (1988-1990) | Kim Jong-pil | New Democratic Republican Party | |
| in government (1990-1993) | |||||||
| 1992 | 149 / 299
|
7,923,719 | 38.5% | new 149 seats; Minority | in government | Roh Tae-woo | Democratic Liberal Party |
31 / 299
|
3,574,419 | 17.4% | new 31 seats; Minority | in opposition | Chung Ju-yung | ||
| 1996 | 139 / 299
|
6,783,730 | 34.5% | new 139 seats; Minority | in government (1996-1998) | Kim Young-sam | New Korea Party |
| in opposition (1998-2000) | |||||||
50 / 299
|
3,178,474 | 16.2% | new 50 seats; Minority | in opposition (1996-1998) | Kim Jong-pil | United Liberal Democrats | |
| in government (1998-2000) | |||||||
| 2000 | 133 / 273
|
7,365,359 | 39.0% | new 133 seats; Minority | in opposition | Lee Hoi-chang | Grand National Party |
17 / 273
|
1,859,331 | 9.8% | 35 seats; Minority
|
in government (2000-2001) | Kim Jong-pil | United Liberal Democrats | |
| in opposition (2001-2004) | |||||||
3 / 273
|
695,423 | 3.7% | new 3 seats; Minority | in opposition | Democratic People's Party | ||
| 2004 | 121 / 299
|
7,613,660 | 35.8% | 24 seats; Minority
|
in opposition | Park Geun-hye | Grand National Party |
4 / 299
|
600,462 | 2.8% | 6 seats; Minority
|
in opposition | Kim Jong-pil | United Liberal Democrats | |
| 2008 | 153 / 299
|
6,421,654 | 37.5% | 32 seats; Majority
|
in government | Kang Jae-seop | Grand National Party |
18 / 299
|
1,173,463 | 6.8% | new 18 seats; Minority | in government | Lee Hoi-chang | Liberty Forward Party | |
14 / 299
|
2,258,750 | 13.2% | new 14 seats; Minority | in government | Suh Chung-won | Pro-Park Coalition | |
| 2012 | 152 / 300
|
9,130,651 | 42.8% | new 152 seats; Majority | in government | Park Geun-hye | Saenuri Party |
5 / 300
|
690,754 | 3.2% | 13 seats; Minority
|
in government | Liberty Forward Party | ||
| 2016 | 122 / 300
|
7,960,272 | 42.8% | 30 seats; Minority
|
in government (2016-2017) | Kim Moo-sung | Saenuri Party |
| in opposition (2017-2020) | |||||||
| 2020 | 103 / 300
|
11,915,277 (Constituency) 9,441,520 (Party-list PR) |
41.45% (Constituency) 33.84% (Party-list PR) |
8 seats; Minority
|
in opposition | Hwang Kyo-ahn | United Future Party (Constituency) Future Korea Party (Party-list PR) |
Local elections[]
| Election | Metropolitan mayor/Governor | Provincial legislature | Municipal mayor | Municipal legislature | Party Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 5 / 15
|
284 / 875
|
70 / 230
|
Democratic Liberal Party | |
4 / 15
|
82 / 875
|
23 / 230
|
United Liberal Democrats | ||
6 / 16
|
224 / 616
|
74 / 232
|
Grand National Party | ||
4 / 16
|
82 / 616
|
29 / 232
|
United Liberal Democrats | ||
| 2002 | 11 / 16
|
467 / 682
|
136 / 227
|
Grand National Party | |
1 / 16
|
33 / 682
|
16 / 227
|
United Liberal Democrats | ||
| 2006 | 12 / 16
|
557 / 733
|
155 / 230
|
1,621 / 2,888
|
Grand National Party |
| 2010 | 6 / 16
|
288 / 761
|
82 / 228
|
1,247 / 2,888
|
Grand National Party |
1 / 16
|
41 / 761
|
13 / 228
|
117 / 2,888
|
Liberty Forward Party | |
0 / 16
|
3 / 761
|
0 / 228
|
19 / 2,888
|
Pro-Park Coalition | |
| 2014 | 8 / 17
|
416 / 789
|
117 / 226
|
1,413 / 2,898
|
Saenuri Party |
| 2018 | 2 / 17
|
137 / 824
|
53 / 226
|
1,009 / 2,927
|
Liberty Korea Party |
See also[]
- Conservative political parties in South Korea (in Korean)
- One-People Principle
- October Restoration
- Social conservatism
- Economic liberalism
- Economic interventionism
- Neo-Confucianism
- New Right (South Korea)
- Progressivism in South Korea
- Liberalism in South Korea
References[]
- ^ 한국 보수주의를 묻는다. Historical Criticism (in Korean) (95). Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "한국 보수가 사랑한 '자유'···그들이 외친 '자유'는 따로 있었다 :자유주의란 무엇인가?" [Korean conservatives loved "Liberty" but... But there was a separate "Liberty" they shouted. :What is liberalism?]. Joongang Ilbo (in Korean). 19 April 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ "[박찬수 칼럼] '자유'와 민주주의, 리버럴" [[Park Chansoo's column] "Liberal" and democracy, liberalism.]. The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 3 July 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
... ‘자유’라는 말만큼 요즘 그 의미가 새롭게 다가오는 단어도 드물다. 주말마다 광화문에서 열리는 태극기집회에 가면 ‘자유민주주의 수호’란 구호를 귀가 따갑도록 들을 수 있다. 그분들이 말하는 자유는 자유한국당의 ‘자유’와 일맥상통하지만, 1960년 4·19 직후 김수영 시인이 쓴 시의 한 구절 “어째서 자유에는 피의 냄새가 섞여 있는가를”에 나오는 ‘자유’와는 사뭇 다르다 ... 십수년 전 워싱턴특파원 시절, 가장 곤혹스러운 영어단어 중 하나가 ‘리버럴’(liberal)이었다. 미국에선 ‘리버럴’ 하면 보통 민주당 지지자나 진보주의자를 뜻하는데 ...
[... Few words have a new meaning these days as much as the word "liberal". If you go to the Taegukgi rallies held at Gwanghwamun every weekend, you can hear the slogan "Guardian of Liberal Democracy." The liberal they say is in line with the Liberty Korea Party's "liberal", but it is clearly different from "liberal" in a verse from a poem written by poet Kim Soo-young shortly after April 19, 1960. ... When I was a Washington correspondent decades ago, one of the most embarrassing English words was "liberal". In the United States, "liberal" usually means a Democratic supporter or progressive, but if it is incorporated into a sentence ...] - ^ "윤석열이 22번 언급한 그 단어... 자유주의의 역습" [The word that Yoon Seok Yeol mentioned 22 times... The counterattack of liberalism.]. OhmyNews (in Korean). 8 July 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
... 윤희숙 국민의힘 의원은 민주당 의원들이 발의한 사회적경제기본법을 자유주의의 적이라고 규정했고 ...
[... Yoon Hee-sook, a member of the People Power Party National Assembly member, defined the Framework Act on Social Economy proposed by Democratic Party of Korea as an enemy of liberalism ...] - ^ "[JTBC 대선토론] 문재인 "동성애 합법화 반대"…심상정 "유감스럽다"".
- ^ 김종인 “호남 홀대해 전국민에 실망”…주호영 “호남에 죄송합니다”. The Donga Ilbo (in Korean). 23 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
- ^ Bae, Myeong-jae (11 May 2011). 보수단체 "광주학살은 北 특수부대 소행". The Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved 19 November 2011.
- ^ Park, Jang-jun (13 November 2011). 한국의 보수는 1950년에 머물러 있다. Media Today (in Korean). Retrieved 19 November 2011.
- ^ Kang, Hyun-kyung (2 April 2012). "Is red scare right-wing conspiracy?". The Korea Times. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-03-29/news/9803290316_1_korean-north-korea-kwon-young-hae
- ^ http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-03-29/news/9803290316_1_korean-north-korea-kwon-young-hae
External links[]
- Review of the 60 years of Korean Conservatism ― Tasks in Leading National Advancement, by Park Hyo-chong
- 보수세력이 친일파 되살리는 까닭은? (Why does the Korean Conservative political camp want to bring back the Chinilpa scene?) - relating to the Korean Broadcasting System's controversial documentaries (in Korean)
Grand National Party (1997–2012) / Saenuri Party (2012–2017) / Liberty Korea Party (2017–2020) | |
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