Social policies
As a big tent party, the Democratic Party has no uniform social policy, with members ranging from social liberals to social conservatives. The party has generally been classified as socially liberal, but is also influenced by Christian movements, leading it to have some socially conservative characteristics. The party opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage and homosexuality.
Most Democratic lawmakers oppose anti-discrimination laws that prohibit discrimination against LGBT+ people and immigrants, with most members valuing "social consensus." One DPK assemblyman said that "I am the most hawkish opposition to the anti-discrimination law. We, the Democrats make the decision". The party's liberal faction attempted to raise socially liberal policies, such as anti-discrimination laws, as controversial bills, but this was aborted due to opposition within the party. Some members of the party's conservative faction, along with church officials, staged a protest against the anti-discrimination law. In December 2023, party leader Lee Jae-myung stated his opposition to unilaterally passing an anti-discrimination law in the National Assembly. The party itself did not state an official position on the anti-discrimination law prior to the 2024 election, while conservative party answered 'reserve' on the anti-discrimination law. Newly elected speaker of the house Woo Won-shik said that "as a Christian, I oppose homosexuality and think that it's not right" while making it clear his negative stance on anti-discrimination law. Floor leader Park Chan-dae said that "I want Korea to become a country which shows the providence of God". Party secretary-general Kim Yoon-deok also opposed the anti-discrimination law saying that "anti-discrimination law tries to ban discrimination against sexual identity and sexual orientation as if they were the same as sex and disabilities which are legitimate grounds for non-discrimination". DPK supreme council member Lee Un-ju made it clear that DPK have no intention to enact 'anti-discrimination law' and strongly oppose it. She added that most of the DPK members are also opposing that law saying "Religious freedom is very important and as a conservative-liberal, I cherish the value of family very much".
In the North Jeolla provincial assembly, DPK assemblymen blocked an ordinance to urge anti-discrimination which was proposed by a member of the Justice Party. Na In-kwon, a DPK council member, who one of the main opponents of the ordinance, said the "Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Law causes sexually curious youths to fall Into homosexuality, corrupting next generation leaders".
Assemblyman Kim Moon-soo, a member of the Democratic Party who is preparing the Student Human Rights Act as the first bill, said that he will reflect the concerns of the churches such as 'opposition to the homosexuality' in the bill, connoting that the DPK would rule out teenage sexual minorities from the scope of legal protection.
The party's socially conservative attitude on issues related to LGBT rights, feminism, and abortion mainly draw from Christianity and South Korea's Confucian traditions, but aside from those issues the party demonstrates moderate-to-liberal social policy. The DPK opposes corporal punishment for children and led the complete abolition of laws that justified corporal punishment for children in the past. The DPK also supports strengthening punishments for domestic violence.
In the 2010s, socially conservative members of the party that oppose abortion, including National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, occupied key positions in the party.
In 2025, it proposed a law to allow abortion and abortion drugs under 10 weeks, and ban abortion for disorders of a fetus.
The party takes an ambiguous position that neither supports nor opposes the abolition of the National Security Act. 21 lawmakers—mostly consisting of Democratic Party members and led by Min Hyung-bae—proposed a bill to abolish the Act on October 15, 2021, but the bill was ultimately discarded.
Most of the main politicians of the Democratic Party are neutral on the issue of immigration regardless of faction. As immigration issue is not the main social problem in South Korea due to the fact that South Korea is still a homogenous nation, there are not many discussions about immigration. The party claims to oppose racism, but they also opposed the passage of an anti-discrimination law which bans discrimination against immigrants. DPK has opposed conservative parties' proposal of lowering minimum wage for migrant workers.
The DPK's Christian influences have also been criticized by other religious groups. In December 2021, the Moon Jae-in government invested 1.2 billion won (US$1,000,000) in a campaign to promote playing Christmas carols in stores such as restaurants and cafes. South Korea's Buddhist community opposed the measure, calling it a policy that gives preferential treatment to a specific religion.
The DPK views criticized the consumption of dog meat, with President Moon Jae-in stating he was considering a legal ban on dog meat in September 2021. In addition, the party supports reforms on student rights issues.
