Democratic Party (South Korea, 2008)


The Democratic Party was a liberal political party in South Korea. Since its foundation in 2008, it was the main opposition party in the 18th Assembly. In late 2011, it merged into the Democratic United Party.

History

The party was originally formed as the Uri Party when loyalists to president Roh Moo-hyun in the Millennium Democratic Party chose to break ranks from other party members who showed lukewarm support for the administration. Some 42 out of 103 lawmakers of the Millennium Democratic Party joined the new party, and 5 lawmakers from the Grand National Party also joined, seeking to complete political reforms. As a result of the 2004 Parliamentary election, the party won an outright majority in the National Assembly by winning 152 of 299 seats. It was the first time in over 40 years that a centre-left party had won a majority in the legislature.
On 18 August 2007, the delegates of the Uri Party decided to disband the party and merge with the newly created liberal party called the United New Democratic Party. After a year, the United New Democratic Party once again merged back with the Democratic Party previously known as the Millennium Democratic Party and the Centrist Reformists Democratic Party on 17 February 2008 to form the United Democratic Party. On July 2008 the party had changed its name to the Democratic Party.
In local elections 2010,the Democratic Party scored a victory in eight mayoral and gubernatorial posts, including the Inchon mayorship.
On 16 December 2011, the DP merged with the minor Citizens Unity Party to form the Democratic United Party. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions also participated in the forming.

Presidents of DEP

  1. Son Hak-Gyu & Park Sang-Chun
  2. Chung Se-kyun
  3. Son Hak-gyu

Legislative elections