The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) was a left-wing nationalist political party in South Korea. It was founded in January 2000, in the effort to create a political wing for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and was considered more left-wing and more independent of the two union federations in South Korea. Its party president was Lee Jung-hee and its assembly leader Kang Gi-gap, who is twice-elected congressman. In December 2011, the party merged into the Unified Progressive Party.
The party gained 10 seats in the National Assembly for the first time in the 2004 parliamentary election. Before and during the 2007 presidential election, conflicts arose between the two main factions within the party. While the "equality" faction, represented by the People's Democracy group, stressed social welfare and civil liberties, the "autonomy" faction, represented by the National Liberation group, emphasized anti-Americanism and good relationships with North Korea.
After the 2007 presidential election, the People's Democracy faction quit the party and formed the New Progressive Party (NPP). Despite that split, DLP gained 5 seats in the National Assembly in the 2008 election, but NPP gained none. In the 2009 election, NPP got one seat. On 5 December 2011, the party merged with the People's Participation Party and a faction of the NPP to found the Unified Progressive Party.
Famous quotes containing the words democratic, labor and/or party:
“There is a potential 4-6 percentage point net gain for the President [George Bush] by replacing Dan Quayle on the ticket with someone of neutral stature.”
—Mary Matalin, U.S. Republican political advisor, author, and James Carville b. 1946, U.S. Democratic political advisor, author. All’s Fair: Love, War, and Running for President, p. 205, Random House (1994)
“As Labor is the common burthen of our race, so the effort of some to shift their share of the burthen on to the shoulders of others, is the great, durable, curse of the race.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“The real grounds of difference upon important political questions no longer correspond with party lines.... Politics is no longer the topic of this country. Its important questions are settled... Great minds hereafter are to be employed on other matters.... Government no longer has its ancient importance.... The people’s progress, progress of every sort, no longer depends on government. But enough of politics. Henceforth I am out more than ever.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)