The United Socialist Party of Korea was a Left-wing political party in South Korea. The party was founded in the spring of 1961, through the merger of two groups. The party was led by Kim Chul. The newly founded party applied for membership in the Socialist International. The party was crushed after the 1961 military takeover of the country. It was banned, most of its leading members arrested and three of its leaders (2 editors and a publisher of the party organ Minjok Ilbo) were sentenced to death.