SEOUL - South Korea's far-left political party was disbanded Friday in a rare decision by the constitutional court which labelled it a pro-North Korean group. In an 8-1 decision, judges endorsed the government's petition to disband the Unified Progressive Party (UPP) and ordered the forfeiture of all of its five seats in parliament. The court ruled the party's platform ran counter to the basic democratic order of the constitution by supporting North Korea's ideological doctrine. "I hope today's decision will terminate the time-consuming ideological debate in our country," Park Han-Chul, the court's chief judge, said before reading a verdict.
"There is no other choice but to disband the party ... as its principles and activities endanger our democratic order," he said, adding that pro-North Korean activities should be banned because the two Koreas are still technically at war.
South Korea's election authorities took quick action to freeze the party's assets.
The court was tightly guarded by about 1,000 riot police as hundreds of people from rival groups gathered in the nearby streets, according to images broadcast on television.
About 200 conservative activists, including some veterans clad in military uniforms, hailed the court's decision, waving national flags.