The Constitutional Court ruled on December 19 to disband the minor Unified Progressive Party (UPP), accepting the government’s motion against the country’s third-largest party on the grounds of anti-Constitutional activities.

With the ruling, the party’s five lawmakers were stripped of their parliamentary seats.

The ruling marked the first time in South Korean history for a political party to be disbanded by the Constitutional Court.

While dissolving the UPP required at least six votes, eight out of nine Constitutional Court judges voted for the party to be disbanded.

In the ruling, the high court said the UPP’s objectives and activities violated democratic basic order stipulated in the Constitution.

The court also said the UPP attempted to impose the ideal of North Korean-style socialism into South Korean society and resorted to violence in achieving a progressive democracy in the South. The court said with such activities, the UPP brought about real dangers that could significantly harm democratic basic order.

The UPP launched in December 2011 through the merger of three minor parties: the Democratic Labor Party, the Participation Party and the Alliance for New Progressive Unity Democratic Party.

In the 19th general elections that took place in April 2012, the UPP won 13 seats, becoming the third largest party in parliament.

However, the UPP became mired in internal strife over fraud allegations surrounding the party's selection of proportional representation candidates for the April general elections. It then again faced a fresh blow and was branded a pro-North Korea party when one of its lawmakers, Lee Seok-ki, was arrested in September 2013 on charges of plotting against the nation.

Two months later, the Justice Ministry filed a petition with the Constitutional Court for the dissolution of the UPP. The Constitutional Court’s ruling to break up the UPP came 409 days after the ministry filed the petition.

1. The Sinking of the Sewol Ferry & Special Sewol Law

2. Dissolution of Unified Progressive Party

3. June 4 Local Elections & July 30 By-elections

4. President Park Geun-hye’s Summit Diplomacy

5. UN General Assembly Passes New Resolution on N. Korea’s Human Rights, UN Security Council Places It on Its Agenda

6. S. Korea Expands “Economic Territory”

7. S. Korea Sees Trade Volume Surpass $1 Tln in Record Time

8. Shooting Rampage at GOP and Military Reform

9. Pope Francis Visits South Korea

10. Sochi Winter Olympics & The Incheon Asian Games