Politics of South Korea

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POLITICS OF SOUTH KOREA BENEDICT GOMBOCZ

Transcript of Politics of South Korea

  • 1.POLITICS OF SOUTH KOREA BENEDICT GOMBOCZ

2. OVERVIEW The politics of South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea) function in the structure of a presidential representative democratic republic, in which the President serves as head of state, and of a multi-party system. The government exercises executive power. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The Judiciary, independent of both the executive and the legislature, includes a Supreme Court, appellate courts, and a Constitutional Court. The constitution has been revised five times since 1948; each change indicated a new republic. The current Sixth Republic started with the last significant constitutional amendment in 1987. 3. MAJOR LEADERS OF SOUTH KOREA Major leaders of South Korea Government Unitary presidential constitutional republic President Park Geun-hye Prime Minister Jung Hong-won Legislature National Assembly National Assembly of South Korea 4. POLITICAL MAP OF SOUTH KOREA 5. EXECUTIVE BRANCH Main office holders Office: President Name: Park Geun-hye Party: Saenuri Party Since: 25 February 2013 Office: Prime Minister Name: Jung Hong-won Party: Saenuri Party Since: 26 February 2013 Powers of the government The President, elected by direct popular vote for one five-year term, acts as head of state. The President also acts as Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and enjoys access to substantial executive authority. With approval from the National Assembly, the President nominates the PM; the President also has the power to nominate and supervise the State Council of chief ministers as the head of government. On 12 March 2004, then President Roh Moo-hyuns executive power was suspended when the Assembly voted in favor of impeaching him, making then PM Goh Kun acting president. On 14 May 2004, the Constitutional Court rejected the impeachment move made by the Assembly, and Roh was reinstated as President. 6. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH Legislative Branch The National Assembly (, , gukhoe) consists of 300 members who are elected for a four-year term; 244 members are elected in single-seat constituencies, whereas fifty-six are elected through proportional representation. National Assembly of South Korea 7. JUDICIAL BRANCH Judicial Branch The Judiciary of South Korea functions independently from the other two branches. The Supreme Court, whose justices are nominated by the President with the National Assemblys permission, is the most supreme judiciary body. The Constitutional Court additionally supervises questions of constitutionality. South Korea has not agreed to necessary ICJ jurisdiction. Constitutional Court of Korea 8. CURRENT PARTIES Main parties Saenuri Party (NFP - New Frontier Party, / , Saenuridang) New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD, / , Saejeongchi Minju Yeonhap) Unified Progressive Party (UPP, / , Tonghap Jinbodang) Justice Party ( / , Jeongeuidang) Extra parliamentary parties Green Party Korea Labor Party The People Party for New Politics The Grand National Party 9. ILLEGAL/BANNED PARTIES Anti-imperialist National Democratic Front 10. RESULTS OF THE SOUTH KOREAN 2012 LEGISLATIVE ELECTION 11. POLITICAL PRESSURE GROUPS AND LEADERS Federation of Korean Industries Federation of Korean Trade Unions Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Korean National Council of Churches Korean Traders Association Korean Veterans' Association National Council of Labor Unions National Democratic Alliance of Korea National Federation of Farmers' Associations National Federation of Student Associations 12. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS Administrative Divisions South Koreas administrative divisions (shown in the map, right) include one special city (Teukbyeolsi, Capital City), six metropolitan cities (Gwangyeoksi, singular and plural), nine provinces (Do, singular and plural), and one special self-governing city (Sejong City). Administrative Divisions map 13. PARK GEUN-HYE Park Geun-hye Born 2 February 1952 in Taegu. Eleventh and current President of South Korea since 25 February 2013. First woman to be elected as South Koreas President, and also first female head of state in the modern history of Northeastern Asia; is serving the eighteenth presidential term. Served as chairwoman of the conservative Grand National Party (GNP) from 2004-2006 and again from 2011- 2012 (the GNP changed its name to Saenuri Party in February 2012) prior to being elected as president. Previously served in the National Assembly; served four consecutive parliamentary terms as an electorate representative for fourteen years (1998-2012), and began her fifth term as a proportional representative from June 2012. Her father, Park Chung-hee, served as President of South Korea for sixteen years (1963-1979). Usually seen as one of South Koreas most prominent politicians since the presidencies of the two Kims: Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung. Was named the worlds 11th most influential woman and the most influential woman in Eastern Asia by Forbes Magazines List of the 100 Most Powerful Women; was also named the worlds 52nd most influential person by Forbes Magazines List of the Worlds Most Powerful People, the fourth highest among Koreans after UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon, business industrialist and Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, and Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un. Photo 14. JUNG HONG-WON Jung Hong-won Born 9 October 1944 in Kato County, Korea (now Hadong County, South Korea). PM of South Korea since 26 February 2013, but announced his resignation on 27 April 2014. Graduated Bachelor of Laws (undergraduate) from Sungkyunkwan University; became a prosecutor after passing the Judicial Examination. Became recognized after resolving a number of high-profile cases, including the Lee-Chang scandal ( ), where President Chun Doo-hwans relatives were put on trial. Left his position as a prosecuting attorney in 2003, and later served as the President of the Institute of Justice. Served as the Standing Commissioner of the Republic of Korea National Election Commission from 2004-2006; also later served as the President of Korea Legal Aid Corporation from 2008-2011. Became a member of the Saenuri Party prior to the 2012 general election. Was appointed the first PM president-elect of President Park Geun-hyes government on 8 February 2013; was officially sworn in after South Koreas National Assembly confirmed his appointment on 26 February 2013. Offered his resignation on 27 April 2014 after the MV Sewol sunk on 16 April 2014, as a result of which 200 people died. President Park theoretically accepted his resignation, but Jung will remain head of Cabinet before the search and rescue missions for the Sewol will end. Photo 15. THE END ( )