Grand National Party
Encyclopedia
The Grand National Party is a conservative
political party in South Korea
. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly
, lasting from 2008 to 2012.
parties. Its earliest ancestor was the Democratic Republican Party
under the rule of Park Chung-hee
in 1963. Upon Park's death and at the beginning of the rule of Chun Doo-hwan
in 1980, it was reconstituted and renamed as the Democratic Justice Party
. In 1988 party member Roh Tae-woo
introduced a wide range of political reforms including direct Presidential elections and a new constitution. The party was renamed in 1993, during the presidency of Kim Young-sam
, with the merger of other parties to form the Democratic Liberal Party (Minju Jayudang). It was renamed as the New Korea Party (Sinhangukdang) in 1995, and it finally became the Grand National Party in November 1997 following its merger with the smaller Democratic Party
, and various conservative parties.
Three months later, with the election of Kim Dae-jung of the Centrist Reformists Democratic Party, as president, the party's governing role came to an end, beginning its first ever period in opposition which would last ten years.
Following the 2000 parliamentary elections it was the single largest political party, with 54% of the vote and 147 seats out of 271.
The party was defeated in the parliamentary election in 2004 following the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun
, gaining only 121 seats out of 299. The defeat reflected public disapproval of the impeachment which was instigated by the party. It was the first time in its history that the party had not won the most seats. It gained back five seats in by-elections, bringing it to 127 seats as of October 28, 2005.
won the presidential election
ending the party's period in opposition.
In the April 2008 general election
, the GNP secured a majority of 153 seats out of 299 and gained power in the administration and the parliament as well as most local governments.
On the performance of President Lee Myung-bak and of Grand National Party, 25.4 percent of the population of South Korea
answered "good" and 67.3 percent "bad" according to a poll by Donga Ilbo conducted in August 2008. Poll numbers for the opposition, however, were even lower.
One of the main bases of popular support of the party originates from the conservative, traditionalist elite and the rural population, except for farmers. It is strongest in the Gyeongsang
region. Former party head and 2007 presidential candidate
Park Geun-hye
is the daughter of former President Park Chung-hee
who ruled from 1963 to 1979. Although Representative Won Hee-ryeong and Hong Jun-pyo
ran for the party primary as reformist candidates, former Seoul
mayor and official presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak
gained more support (about 40%) from the Korean public.
The GNP suffered a setback in the 2010 local elections, losing a total of 775 local seats throughout the counties.
, lost his mayoral position
of Seoul after the Seoul Free Lunch Referendum
.
The Grand National Party has celebrated its 14th anniversary on November 21st, 2011 amid uncertainties from intra-party crises.
and entrepreneurship
, expanded support for the large chaebols, neoliberal economic policies, lower taxes, and lower social welfare spending. The GNP also favors maintaining strong ties with the United States
and Japan
while distancing South Korea from China
and Russia
and advocates a stricter stance on North Korea
. The party is also conservative on social issues, in the last election the president called homosexuality "abnormal" and opposed any legal recognition of same-sex couples. The party's conservative, pro-American stance often makes it the target of criticism by North Korea
's state-controlled media
.
for three consecutive years.
's political visions.
had illegally infiltrated a party meeting of the opposition, Democratic Party, on October 18th, 2011.
Only one GNP member had voted not to ratify the Free Trade Agreement.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
political party in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly
National Assembly of South Korea
The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea is a 299-member unicameral legislature. The latest general elections were held on April 9, 2008. Single-member constituencies comprise 245 of the National Assembly's seats, while the remaining 54 are allocated by proportional representation...
, lasting from 2008 to 2012.
History
The party was founded in 1997 as a merger of various conservativeConservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
parties. Its earliest ancestor was the Democratic Republican Party
Democratic Republican Party (South Korea)
The Democratic Republican Party was a conservative, authoritarian and broadly state corporatist or fascistic political party in South Korea, ruling from its formation in 1963 to its dissolution under Chun Doo-hwan in 1980...
under the rule of Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
in 1963. Upon Park's death and at the beginning of the rule of Chun Doo-hwan
Chun Doo-hwan
Chun Doo-hwan was a ROK Army general and the President of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Chun was sentenced to death in 1996 for his heavy-handed response to the Gwangju Democratization Movement, but later pardoned by President Kim Young-sam with the advice of then President-elect Kim Dae-jung,...
in 1980, it was reconstituted and renamed as the Democratic Justice Party
Democratic Justice Party
The Democratic Justice Party was the ruling party of South Korea from 1980 to 1990.It was formed in 1980 as the Democratic Republican Party and was the political vehicle for Chun Doo-hwan....
. In 1988 party member Roh Tae-woo
Roh Tae-woo
Roh Tae-woo , is a former ROK Army general and politician. He was the 13th president of South Korea .Roh befriended Chun Doo-hwan while in high school in Daegu. In his younger life, Roh was a keen rugby union player....
introduced a wide range of political reforms including direct Presidential elections and a new constitution. The party was renamed in 1993, during the presidency of Kim Young-sam
Kim Young-sam
Kim Young-sam was a South Korean politician and democratic activist. From 1961, he spent 30 years as South Korea's leader of the opposition, and one of Park Chung-hee's most powerful rivals....
, with the merger of other parties to form the Democratic Liberal Party (Minju Jayudang). It was renamed as the New Korea Party (Sinhangukdang) in 1995, and it finally became the Grand National Party in November 1997 following its merger with the smaller Democratic Party
Democratic Party (South Korea)
The Democratic Party was a political party of South Korea.Formerly called the Millennium Democratic Party , or Saecheonnyeon Minju-dang , it changed its name to the present form on May 6, 2005.- History :...
, and various conservative parties.
Three months later, with the election of Kim Dae-jung of the Centrist Reformists Democratic Party, as president, the party's governing role came to an end, beginning its first ever period in opposition which would last ten years.
Following the 2000 parliamentary elections it was the single largest political party, with 54% of the vote and 147 seats out of 271.
The party was defeated in the parliamentary election in 2004 following the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun GOM GCB was the 16th President of South Korea .Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his...
, gaining only 121 seats out of 299. The defeat reflected public disapproval of the impeachment which was instigated by the party. It was the first time in its history that the party had not won the most seats. It gained back five seats in by-elections, bringing it to 127 seats as of October 28, 2005.
Current status
On December 19, 2007, the GNP's candidate Lee Myung-bakLee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
won the presidential election
ending the party's period in opposition.
In the April 2008 general election
South Korean parliamentary election, 2008
Legislative elections were held in South Korea on April 9, 2008.The conservative Grand National Party won 153 of 299 seats while the main opposition United Democratic Party won 81 seats...
, the GNP secured a majority of 153 seats out of 299 and gained power in the administration and the parliament as well as most local governments.
On the performance of President Lee Myung-bak and of Grand National Party, 25.4 percent of the population of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
answered "good" and 67.3 percent "bad" according to a poll by Donga Ilbo conducted in August 2008. Poll numbers for the opposition, however, were even lower.
One of the main bases of popular support of the party originates from the conservative, traditionalist elite and the rural population, except for farmers. It is strongest in the Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
region. Former party head and 2007 presidential candidate
South Korean presidential election, 2007
The 17th South Korean presidential election took place on 19 December 2007. The election was won by Lee Myung-bak of the Grand National Party, returning conservatives to the Blue House for the first time in ten years...
Park Geun-hye
Park Geun-hye
Park Geun-hye is a South Korean politician. She is a member of the Korean National Assembly and was the head of the conservative Grand National Party. She is now in her fourth parliamentary term, having first been elected in 1998. Her father was Park Chung-hee, president of South Korea from 1963...
is the daughter of former President Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
who ruled from 1963 to 1979. Although Representative Won Hee-ryeong and Hong Jun-pyo
Hong Jun-pyo
Hong Jun-pyo is a South Korean politician and the current chairperson of the Grand National Party. He was born in Changnyeong. South Gyeongsang Province...
ran for the party primary as reformist candidates, former Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
mayor and official presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
gained more support (about 40%) from the Korean public.
The GNP suffered a setback in the 2010 local elections, losing a total of 775 local seats throughout the counties.
2011
GNP-affiliated politician, Oh Se-hoonOh Se-hoon
Oh Se-hoon was the Mayor of Seoul between 2006 and August 26, 2011. On June 3, 2010, Oh was reelected as the Mayor of Seoul but resigned after losing a referendum on the Seoul Free Lunch Referendum.. Oh is a member of the Grand National Party.-Personal history:Oh was born in Seongdong-gu...
, lost his mayoral position
Mayor of Seoul
The mayor of Seoul is the head of government for Seoul, the capital and largest city of South Korea. The position is traditionally considered one of the most powerful in the country. Many Seoul mayors have gone on to hold ministerial office...
of Seoul after the Seoul Free Lunch Referendum
Seoul Free Lunch Referendum
The Seoul Free Lunch Referendum was a referendum of allowing the free school meal in the schools around the Seoul Metropolitan Area on August 24th, 2011...
.
The Grand National Party has celebrated its 14th anniversary on November 21st, 2011 amid uncertainties from intra-party crises.
Policy
The GNP supports free tradeFree trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
and entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
, expanded support for the large chaebols, neoliberal economic policies, lower taxes, and lower social welfare spending. The GNP also favors maintaining strong ties with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
while distancing South Korea from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and advocates a stricter stance on North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. The party is also conservative on social issues, in the last election the president called homosexuality "abnormal" and opposed any legal recognition of same-sex couples. The party's conservative, pro-American stance often makes it the target of criticism by North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
's state-controlled media
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
.
Four Major Rivers Project
One of the GNP's important policies is to financially secure the The Four Major Rivers Project since President Lee Myung-bak is in the office. This project's budget disputes have sparked controversial political motions in the National AssemblyNational Assembly of South Korea
The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea is a 299-member unicameral legislature. The latest general elections were held on April 9, 2008. Single-member constituencies comprise 245 of the National Assembly's seats, while the remaining 54 are allocated by proportional representation...
for three consecutive years.
Favoring the rich
The GNP's economic lines have been favoring the rich people in South Korea. However the GNP tries to reform its rich-friendly policies to working class-friendly policies that are against President Lee Myung-bakLee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
's political visions.
Generating favorable online comments
- The GNP has records of secretly hiring and paying university students to generate online replies favorable to the GNP.
- GNP member Jin Seung-ho (진성호) formally apologized on July 2, 2009 for making a remark that "the GNP occupied Naver". Naver is one of the biggest South Korean internet portals.
December 8th 2010 controversial bill-passing
- The GNP passed the bill relating to the year 2011 national budget without the opposition parties' inputs on December 8, 2010. It had caused legislative violence before. This process of passing the budget bill sparked controversy of potential illegality. Due to this incident, many South Korean political, academic and citizen groups expressed their outrage against current mainstream politics. The reason for forceful passing of the bill is mainly due to the budget disputes in the controversial Four Major Rivers Project.
- Many Buddhists in South Korea criticized the budget bill on December 8, 2010 for neglecting the national Temple Stay program. This has led the Jogye OrderJogye OrderThe Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism with roots that date back 1,200 years to Unified Silla National Master Doui, who brought Seon and the practice taught by the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, from China about 820...
, the largest Buddhist order in South Korea, to severe ties with the GNP and becoming financially independent without any funding from the government. - The interns and the staffs working in the National Assembly officially complained on December 17 that their salary was missing after the passing of this bill.
Inefficient public relations
- The GNP was criticized for having an inefficient public relations that resulted less people voting for them during the 2010 local electionsSouth Korean local elections, 2010The 5th local elections were held in South Korea on 2 June 2010. The voter turnout reached 54.4%, the highest in 15 years.-Voter turnout by region:* Overall voter turnout: 54.5%...
.
Infiltration of opposition party
A Blue House official of the pro-GNP Lee Myung-bak governmentLee Myung-bak government
The Lee Myung-bak government is sixth consecutive government of the Sixth Republic of South Korea. It was officially launched on February 25th, 2008, under Lee Myung-bak's victory in the 2007 presidential election...
had illegally infiltrated a party meeting of the opposition, Democratic Party, on October 18th, 2011.
Free Trade Agreement Disputes
The four main contributors of the controversial passing of the South Korea–United States Free Trade Agreement bill in the National Assembly are members of the Grand National Party:- Hong Jun-pyoHong Jun-pyoHong Jun-pyo is a South Korean politician and the current chairperson of the Grand National Party. He was born in Changnyeong. South Gyeongsang Province...
, current chairperson - Park Hee-tae, current Speaker of the National Assembly
- Park Geun-hyePark Geun-hyePark Geun-hye is a South Korean politician. She is a member of the Korean National Assembly and was the head of the conservative Grand National Party. She is now in her fourth parliamentary term, having first been elected in 1998. Her father was Park Chung-hee, president of South Korea from 1963...
, former chairperson - Chung Ui-hwa, current Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly
Only one GNP member had voted not to ratify the Free Trade Agreement.
List of Chairmen of GNP
- Cho Soon (November 21, 1997 - November 28, 1998)
- Lee Han-dong (November 29, 1998 - August 30, 1998) (acting)
- Lee Hoi-changLee Hoi-changLee Hoi-chang is a South Korean politician. A Catholic, he was born to an elite family in Seoheung, Hwanghae , but grew up in the south after his father, a public prosecutor, was appointed to a new post....
(August 31, 1998 - May 12, 2002)- Park Kwan-yong (May 13, 2002 - May 14, 2002) (acting)
- Seo Cheong-won (May 14, 2002 - May 25, 2003)
- Choi Byeong-yul (May 26, 2003 - March 22, 2004)
- Park Geun-hyePark Geun-hyePark Geun-hye is a South Korean politician. She is a member of the Korean National Assembly and was the head of the conservative Grand National Party. She is now in her fourth parliamentary term, having first been elected in 1998. Her father was Park Chung-hee, president of South Korea from 1963...
(March 23, 2004 - July 10, 2006) - Kang Jae-sup (July 11, 2006 – July 3, 2008)
- Park Hee-tae (July 4, 2008 - September 7, 2009)
- Chung Mong-joon (September 7, 2009 - July 14, 2010)
- Ahn Sang-sooAhn Sang-sooAhn Sang-soo is a South Korean politician and currently the chairman of the Grand National Party.-Controversies:...
(July 14, 2010 - May 8, 2011)- Jeong Ui-hwa (May 9, 2011 - July 4, 2011) (acting)
- Hong Jun-pyoHong Jun-pyoHong Jun-pyo is a South Korean politician and the current chairperson of the Grand National Party. He was born in Changnyeong. South Gyeongsang Province...
(July 4, 2011 - IncumbentIncumbentThe incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
)
See also
- Politics of South KoreaPolitics of South KoreaPolitics of the Republic of Korea takes place in the framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is the head of state, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and...
- List of political parties in South Korea
- List of political parties
- List of Korea-related topics