Korean Politics

1. Korean Politics

2. Outline • Republic of Korea • presidential system • National Assembly • judiciary • parties and elections • external relations • Democratic People’s Republic of Korea • authoritarian party-state

3. President of ROK • Directly elected by all voters • 5-year term (no 2nd term) • Head of state • Chief executive • Commander-in-chief of the armed forces • power to declare war • Office and residence: Cheong Wa Dae

4. Presidential Power • Appoint Prime Minister, subject to approval by the National Assembly • Propose legislation • Appoint the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, subject to approval by the National Assembly

5. National Assembly • Unicameral legislature with 300 members, who serve four-year terms • 246 directly elected from districts • 54 appointed by political parties proportional to vote share • law-making • approve national budget • impeach President

6. Local Government • Three levels: • central government • higher-level local governments • 8 municipality governments • 9 do (province) governments • lower-level local governments • cities, counties, districts

7. Evolution of Party System • 1950s: Liberal Party, Progressive Party, ... • 1961, Park dissolved all political parties, abolished local elections & local councils • 1980, General Chun banned political activities by party members • 1987, presidential election • 1988, National Assembly election

8. Foreign Direct Investment • The financial crisis of 1997 was a turning point • Less than 2,000 foreign-invested companies in 1997 • 14,000 foreign-invested companies in 2010 • US$11.5 billion inward FDI in 2009 • US$16.3 billion inward FDI in 2012

10. D.P.R.K. • Workers’ Party of Korea • General Secretary of the Central Committee • Kim Jong-Il (1994 - 2011) • Kim Jong-Un (2011- ) • Politburo • Cabinet: premier and ministers • National Defense Commission • Supreme People’s Assembly

11. The Six-Party Talks since 2003