Grand National Party:
The Grand National Party is a conservative and right-leaning political party in South Korea. Its Korean name, Hannara, may be translated either as "Grand Nation" or "One Nation," due to the double meaning of han.
The ruling GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly, lasting from 2008 to 2012.
[edit] History
The party originated in the beginning of the military dictatorship of Park Chung-hee in 1963 as the Democratic Republican Party. At his death and at the beginning of the rule of Chun Doo-hwan in 1980, it was renamed as the Democratic Justice Party. The party during the military dictatorship period was the political vehicle both dictators used to strengthen their iron rule on the country until 1988 when Roh Tae-woo of the same party became the country's first democratically elected leader, introducing in South Korea a wide range of reforms including a democratic, multi-party system, and a new constitution. The party was renamed in 1993, during the presidency of Kim Young-sam, when the old party's of the military dictatorship period merged into it to form the Democratic Liberal Party (Minju Jayudang). It was renamed to the New Korea Party (Sinhangukdang) in 1995, and then became the Grand National Party in November 1997 following its merger with the smaller Democratic Party.[citation needed] 3 months later, with the election of Kim Dae-jung of the Centrist Reformists Democratic Party, as president, the party's continuous 35 year rule of the country came to an end and began its first ever period in opposition which would last for up to 9 years.
Following the 2000 parliamentary elections it was the single largest political party, with 54% of the vote and 147 seats out of 271. However, its former leader Lee Hoi-chang lost twice in the presidential election (in 1997 and 2002) following a series of scandals and accusations.[citation needed]
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 the public disapproval of the impeachment which was steered by the party. It was the first time in its history that the party or its predecessors had not won the most seats. It gained back six seats in by-elections, bringing it to 127 seats as of October 28, 2005.[citation needed]
[edit] Current status
On December 19, 2007, the GNP's candidate Lee Myung-bak won the presidential election [1] 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.[citation needed]
On the performance of President Lee Myung-bak and of Grand National Party, 25.4 percent of the population of South Korea recently answered "good" and 67.3 percent "bad" according to a poll by Donga Ilbo.[2] At present, he has lost political support in every region in the country.
The makeup of the Grand National Party members at present is diverse in provincial origin and political thought.[original research?] Former party head and 2007 presidential candidate Park Geun-hye is the daughter of former Dictator-President Park Chung-hee who ruled from 1963 to 1979. Although Representative Won Hee-ryeong and Hong Jun-pyo runs for the party primary as a reform candidate, and former Seoul mayor and their official presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak gains more support (about 40%) from the Korean public, these types of family connections are viewed by many as evidence of continued domination of the party by the old elite.[original research?][citation needed]
[edit] Policy
The GNP supports free trade and entrepreneurship, expanded support for the large chaebols, neoliberal economic policies, lower taxes, and lower social welfare spending. The GNP also favours 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's conservative, pro-American stance often makes it the target of hyperbolic criticism by North Korea's state-controlled media.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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