nec.go.kr Join a Political Party South Korea : National Election Commission

Organisation : National Election Commission (NEC)
Facility Name : Join a Political Party
Applicable For : Political Parties
Country : South Korea
Website : https://www.nec.go.kr/site/eng/04/10401010000002020070601.jsp

What is Political Party System?

A political party is composed of a central political party located in the capital city and Si/Do parties located in Si/Do districts. Establishing a political party requires a central political party to be registered with the National Election Commission after it has formed more than 5 Si/Do parties. Each Si/Do party shall have a thousand or more members registered as residents in the corresponding Si/Do districts.

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How to Join from a Political Party?

Joining a political party requires the submission of an application signed or sealed by a person qualified as a member of a political party to Si/Do parties or the Party Formation Committee. In accordance with the Digital Signature Act, an application may also be replaced as an electronic document with a certified digital signature on it.

Those Who Shall Not Be a Member:
** Public officials and the teaching staff at all levels of schools except for the following:
** President, Prime Minister, State Council members, local council members, heads of the local government,
** aides, secretary and personal assistant to the National Assembly members, Policy Research Committee members
** within the National Assembly Negotiating Group and faculty members including the presidents, deans, associate
** Persons who are equal in status to public officials in accordance with the relevant act
** Foreign nationals

How to Defect from a Political Party?

Defection from a Political Party
An application for one’s withdrawal from a party shall be submitted to the corresponding Si/Do parties and if this is not feasible, an application shall be submitted to the central party. An application for withdrawal may also be replaced as an electronic document with a certified digital signature on it

Merger of Political Parties

Political parties may merge by resolution from a joint meeting among their representative organs or organs to which the authority of representative organs is delegated.

Formative Merger of Political Parties:
More than 2 registered political parties may merge into a newly-named party by resolution of their representative organs.

Absorptive Merger of Political Parties:
More than one political party may merge into other party.

Merger Procedures:
When a political party intends to merge with another, it should be done by resolution of an authorized representative organ. Political parties seeking to merge with one another shall hold a joint meeting among representative organs or organs to which the authority of the representative organs is delegated to pass a resolution for the merger.

Dissolution of a Political Party

Dissolution of a political party includes registration cancellation resulting from requirements not satisfied, voluntary dissolution, dissolution by decision of the Constitutional Court, etc.

** Examples of Registration Cancellation Resulting from Requirements Not Satisfied
** Where less than 5 Si/Do parties are registered;
** Where the number of members of each Si/Do party does not reach 1,000;
** Where a political party has not participated in the National Assembly elections or elections for heads of the local governments or Si/Do Council members following the termination of term of office for the past 4 years;
** Where a political party has not gained any seat or 2/100 of the total valid votes in the National Assembly elections; and
** Where a political party that has applied for a merger does not abide by a supplement order that should be served within 120 days after the order is issued and no supplement has been made since a supplement order is issued for more than the second time.

Voluntary Dissolution:
A political party may be dissolved by resolution of its representative organ.

Dissolution by Decision of the Constitutional Court:
A political party is protected by the nation according to the Constitution and laws, however, the government may file a petition against a political party whose purposes and activities violate the democratic order and as a result, a political party may be dissolved by decision of the Constitutional Court.