“(The Constitutional Court’s ruling) is a historical decision that strongly protects liberal democracy in the country,” Park was quoted as saying by Yoon Doo-hyun, a spokesman at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.
The top court ordered disbandment of the Unified Progressive Party (UPP) on Friday, saying that the principles and activities of the party violated the “basic democratic order” of South Korea, which remains technically at war with North Korea for more than a half century.
The case marked the first time in South Korean history that a political party was dissolved by judicial power since the Constitutional Court was formed in 1988.
With the ruling, five UPP lawmakers were stripped of their seats in the 300-member National Assembly.
Other Cheong Wa Dae official welcomed the decision, saying “Defending constitutional value is the basic principle of democracy. It’s right to break up the party that undermines that.”
He said the judgment will help South Korea enjoy a mature democracy. (Yonhap)
