Speaker Park Byeong-seok: "Now Is Truly the Final Time for Constitutional Amendment"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok once again emphasized the necessity of constitutional amendment.

In his speech commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the National Assembly's opening on the 4th, Speaker Park stated, "We must shed the old 34-year-old constitution made during the industrialization era and prepare a new constitution that corresponds to the new era and new order," adding, "Now, ahead of the 20th presidential election and the 8th nationwide local elections, is the last moment for constitutional amendment."

Speaker Park also said, "We will open the era of the National Assembly building in Sejong for balanced national development," and pledged to promptly complete the maintenance of laws and systems to expedite the project. He mentioned that the 'National Mid- to Long-term Agenda Committee,' a body directly under the Speaker, is preparing alternatives for mid- to long-term tasks such as climate crisis, low birthrate and aging population, innovative growth, and inequality reform, stating, "We will present the first results around the end of this year or early next year."

As achievements over the past year, he cited the first agreement between ruling and opposition parties on the budget bill within the legal deadline in six years, the processing of 2,270 bills during the first year of the assembly?the highest number for the same period since its inception?and the development of parliamentary diplomacy for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula despite the COVID-19 situation.

At the opening ceremony that day, the '1st Republic of Korea National Assembly Legislative Awards' ceremony was also held. Awards were given in two categories: the 'Legislative Activity Division,' selecting National Assembly members who proposed excellent bills, and the 'Policy Research Division,' selecting National Assembly research groups with outstanding research achievements.

The awardees include Assembly members Kang Seon-woo, Go Young-in, Kwon In-sook, Kim Jeong-jae, Kim Cheol-min, Park Gwang-on, Park Sang-hyeok, Park Soo-young, Park Hong-geun, Seo Young-kyo, Seong Il-jong, So Byung-hoon, Song Gap-seok, Shin Hyun-young, Yoon Jun-byeong, Lee Myeong-su, Lee Jang-seop, Im Ho-seon, Jang Hye-young, Jeong Seong-ho, Jo Myeong-hee, Jo Seung-rae, Jo Hae-jin, Ji Seong-ho, Cheon Jun-ho, Choi Seung-jae, Choi Yeon-sook, Choi Hye-young, Han Jun-ho, and Hong Ik-pyo.

The outstanding National Assembly research groups selected were the Korea Future Innovation Forum (led by Assembly member Jang Je-won), the National Assembly Climate Crisis Green New Deal Research Group (led by Assembly members Kim Seong-hwan and Woo Won-shik), the Just Transition Green New Deal National Assembly Research Group (led by Assembly members Park Hong-geun and Shim Sang-jung), the Women and Children’s Human Rights Forum (led by Assembly member Kwon In-sook), and Eyes of the Vulnerable (led by Assembly member Kim Min-seok).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.