People's Democracy Party (South Korea)

The People's Democracy Party[lower-alpha 2] is a communist party in South Korea which aims to establish a people's democracy, in which the proletariat owns the productive forces. The party is also staunchly anti-imperialist and has called for an immediate peace agreement with North Korea and the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from South Korea.

People's Democracy Party
민중민주당
LeaderLee Sang-hoon
Founded5 November 2016 (2016-11-05)
Headquarters#1107 Le Meilleur Jongno Town, 19 Jongno, Jogno 1-ga Jongno-gu, Seoul
Ideology
Political positionFar-left[1]
National Assembly
0 / 300
Website
pdp21.kr
People's Democracy Party
Hangul
민중민주당
Hanja
民衆民主黨
Revised RomanizationMinjungminjudang
McCune–ReischauerMinjungminjudang
Abbreviation
Hangul
민중당
Hanja
民衆黨
Revised RomanizationMinjungdang
McCune–ReischauerMinjungdang

History

The Founding Preparatory Committee of the Hwansu Welfare Party (환수복지당) was formed on 12 July 2016[2] and it held a press conference on 18 July.[3] The inauguration ceremony of the Hwansu Welfare Party was subsequently held on 5 November 2016,[4] and the party registered with the National Election Commission (NEC) on 21 November.[5]

The Hwansu Welfare Party merged with organizations affiliated with the National Liberation and People's Democracy political camps on 15 August 2017. The party subsequently renamed itself to the People's Democracy Party-Hwansu Welfare Party (민중민주당-환수복지당), later shortened to the "People's Democracy Party".

Ideology and policies

The People's Democracy Party is a communist party which aims to establish a people's democracy in South Korea, in which workers, farmers, and small merchants (i.e. the proletariat and petite bourgeoisie) are the owners of the productive forces. However, since the National Security Act outlaws communist parties, the PDP does not explicitly support "communism" (공산주의), but instead uses the indirect expression "communalism" (공동주의).[6] The party program also calls for free housing, education, and medical care, as well as an end to conscription in South Korea.[7]

Foreign policy
Main articles: Anti-American sentiment in Korea and Anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea

The party is strongly anti-American, advocating for the departure of the United States Forces Korea and suspension of "Foal Eagle" exercises between the U.S.[1] and South Korea. The party has stated that "South Corea [sic] is a complete colony occupied by the U.S. military, is politically oppressed by the U.S., and is economically subordinate to imperialist countries, including the U.S.," and therefore "True peace is possible only without imperialism; the head of imperialism is the U.S."[8]

The party strongly advocates engagement with North Korea, and has called for an immediate end to the Korean conflict by striking a peace deal.[9] It advocates an eventual reunification under a federal system, and opposes reunification by "absorption" or through war. It also advocates for a "collective security system" in East Asia.[7]

The party has also expressed opposition to the current government of Japan, calling it "militaristic" and "imperialist".[10] The People's Democracy Party officially supported Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, calling it "de-Nazification", accusing the U.S. and NATO of supporting "neo-Nazis" and "Banderites" in Ukraine to threaten Russia.[11][12]

Election results

Legislative elections
Election Constituency votes Share of votes Seats won +/− Outcome
2020 63 0.00%
0 / 300
 No seats

Notes
  1. The PDP does not explicitly describe itself as a communist party because it is illegal to form a communist party in South Korea under the National Security Act.
  2. Korean: 민중민주당; Hanja: 民衆民主黨; RR: Minjungminjudang

References
  1. "극좌단체 美 백악관 앞서 "미 본토까지 불바다" 미군 철수 시위 '논란' - 블루투데이".
  2. Lee, Jae Chul (31 December 2017). "Political Protest from 2016 to 2017 in Korea : Analysis of Citizens in Metropolitan Areas". The Journal of Social Science. 24 (4): 61–82. doi:10.46415/jss.2017.12.24.4.61. ISSN 1598-8996.
  3. "'환수복지당' 18일 창당준비위 출범 - 통일뉴스". www.tongilnews.com (in Korean). 18 July 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  4. "Solidarity statement to the People's Democracy Party inauguration". 14 November 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  5. Ahn, Bo-Young; Chun, Young-Sin (31 August 2011). "The Characteristics Asian Dust Observed in Japan Deflecting the Korean Peninsula (2010. 5. 22.-5. 25.)". Journal of the Korean Earth Science Society. 32 (4): 388–401. doi:10.5467/jkess.2011.32.4.388. ISSN 1225-6692.
  6. "하나의 이념과 두개의 주의". 민중민주당(민중당) (in Korean). 23 August 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  7. "7대 강령". People's Democracy Party (in Korean). 9 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  8. People's, Democracy Party (25 June 2020). "70 years too long: The struggle to end the Korean War". Liberation School. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  9. "이땅을 전쟁연습 없는 평화지대로 만들자". 26 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  10. "〈일본패망하루전〉 반드시 망한다". 민중민주당. 10 November 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023.
  11. "우크라이나나치즘의 형성과 러시아반나치군사작전의 전개". 민중민주당. 1 June 2022. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023.
  12. "〈증오(Wołyń)〉 끝장내야한다". 민중민주당. 1 June 2022. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023.
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