The National Election Commission of Korea (NEC) provided the National Subsidy for the first quarter to political parties on February 12, 2010. The total amount for the first quarter was around 8.1 billion won. The National Subsidy refers to Korean government’s financial support to enhance political parties’ development. There are various kinds of subsides: ordinary subsidy offering on a quarter basis per year, subsidy for election and subsidies for invigorating political participation of women and the handicapped. The National Subsidy given on February 12 is ordinary subsidy for the first quarter of 2010.

○ The Amount of the Subsidy

- Total: 8,116,700,000 won (about $7,100,000)

- Grand National Party: 3,324,579,440 won (about $2,900,000)

- Democratic Party: 2,786,671,620 won (about $2,400,000)

- Liberty Forward Party: 566,273,060 won (about $500,000)

- Pro-Park Alliance: 554,515,060 won (about $480,000)

- Democratic Labor Party: 489,633,890 won (about $430,000)

- Creative Korea Party: 199,236,210 won (about $170,000)

- Solidarity for New Progressive Party: 195,790,720 won (about $170,000)

○ Distribution Method

- 50% of the total amount is distributed equally to political parties holding more than 20 seats and forming negotiation body in the National Assembly

- Individual parties holding more than five seats but less than 20 seats are respectively entitled to get 5% of the total amount

- Individual parties holding less than five seats and meeting certain conditions under the law regarding political parties respectively receive 2% of the subsidy

- After distributing subsidies according to the above standards, the half of the remaining will be offered to parties holding more than one seat considering the individual parties’ proportion of seats

- The other half of the remaining will be provided to the parties holding more than one seat based on the vote-getting rate in the latest election