The Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front (AINDF) (Hangul: 반제민족민주전선 (반제민전)) is an underground South Korean organization that is called a socialist political party by North Korea and a pro-communist spy group by South Korea. It is the only ostensibly South Korean organization to have a mission in Pyongyang.
It was founded as the Revolutionary Party for Reunification on August 25, 1969. Its name changed to the National Democratic Front of South Korea (Hangul: 한국민족민주전선 (한민전)) on July 27, 1985, and to the current form on March 23, 2005.
The AINDF is guided by the Juche doctrine of North Korea. It aims to carry out a popular revolution in the South, achieve independence by removing United States troops and bases, and the reunification of the country.
The history of the AINDF goes back to 1964 with the formation of a preparatory committee to form the Revolutionary Party for Reunification. It was officially founded in 1969 by Kim Jongtae and Choi Yongdo. Both were executed by the Park Chung-hee administration, along with other leaders of the party; other members of the party were sentenced to long prison terms. Kim Jongtae's wife and two children were never seen again.
In 1985, it merged with the Strategic Liberation Party of South Korea, and changed its name to the National Democratic Front of South Korea.
It is banned in South Korea, under the National Security Law, but operates clandestinely. It has a mission in Pyongyang, North Korea and another in Japan.
It is similar in organization to the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, the de jure popular front of North Korea.
The organization is sometimes also referred to as the National Democratic Front of South Korea
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