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Democratic Alliance of Korea
The Democratic Alliance of Korea (Korean: 더불어민주연합) was an electoral alliance and political party formed in order to run for party-list proportional representation in the 2024 South Korean legislative election.[1][2] It consisted of 3 centrist to left-wing parties and alliances — the Democratic Party of Korea, the Progressive Party and the New Progressive Alliance. It only nominated proportional representation candidates in the 2024 South Korean election. On May 2, 2024, the Democratic Alliance, excluding members of the Progressive Party and New Progressive Alliance, merged into the Democratic Party of Korea.[3] Member parties
Refused to joinDespite receiving an invitation from the Democratic Party, the Green Justice Party declined to participate in the electoral alliance due to their stance against the formation of satellite parties.[4]
Candidates
CriticismThe inclusion of the Progressive Party was heavily criticised, as it is considered de facto successor of the Unified Progressive Party (UPP) that was banned for its pro-North Korean allegiance despite its denial to the claims.[8][9][10][11][12][13] Han Dong-hoon, the interim President of the People Power Party (PPP), denounced the coalition as "the combination of the privileged (socialist) activists, radical supporters of Lee Jae-myung, pro-North Korean UPPs and Cho Kuk".[10] Several pre-candidates, including Lee Rae-kyung and Cho Sung-woo, were alleged to be conspiracy theorists.[8][9][11][12] Lee Sang-heon, the MP for Buk, Ulsan, announced his withdrawal from the Democratic Party following the Democratic Alliance's decision to support for Yoon Jong-oh, a member of the Progressive Party as well as the former MP for the constituency.[14][15][16] On 14 February 2024, the Democratic Alliance rejected the nomination of Lim Tae-hoon, former chair and founder of the Military Human Rights Commission, for a spot on the proportional representation list. The reason given by the Democratic Party was that Lim had been arrested in the early 2000s for evading military conscription, which is required by law for all men in South Korea. Lim, who is openly gay, would also have been the Democratic Party's first sexual minority in a national election. Some members of the Democratic Party hold social conservative opinions.[17] The Democratic Party also rejected an appeal from Lim, despite conscientious objection being legalized in 2018. Lim was pardoned by President Roh in 2005 and thus founded the Military Human Rights Commission in 2009. Hours after the announcement of the rejection of candidate Lim, the civil society and human rights groups within the electoral alliance threatened to withdraw their support and candidates from the electoral alliance on 14 February 2024.[18] Election results
Notes
References
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