This article compares the theoretical foundations and empirical development of political parties and party systems in South Korea and Uzbekistan, offering a contrasted view of two variant post-authoritarian trajectories. Drawing on classic theories by Duverger, Sartori, Lipset, and Rokkan, the paper emphasizes how historical legacies, electoral rules, and institutional constraints have shaped partisan dynamics in both countries. South Korea's democratic transition from military rule to consolidated democracy illustrates the evolution of a competitive, albeit regionally divided, party system characterized by electoral volatility and reform-driven changes. In contrast, state-controlled parties continue to dominate Uzbekistan's post-Soviet political development under a semi-authoritarian regime, where pluralism is merely formal rather than real.  

Political parties, party systems, South Korea, Uzbekistan, democratization, electoral systems.

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