24 National Assembly Members Propose "One-Point Constitutional Amendment... Introduce Runoff Voting System and 4-Year Renewable Term"

"Need for Constitutional Amendment to Bring Change to the Old Political System"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Twenty-four members of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, the Justice Party, and the Transition Korea party emphasized political change and proposed a 'one-point constitutional amendment.'

On the 21st, they held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office and said, "It is time for 'political change,' not 'blind regime change,'" adding, "Beyond changing the forces occupying politics, politics itself must be replaced."

They stated, "The core of political change is 'securing diversity,'" and emphasized, "We will create state affairs, the National Assembly, and political parties that fully reflect the people's will. For this, a constitutional amendment is necessary to bring about changes to the outdated political system."

They added, "We propose a one-point constitutional amendment that has a high level of national consensus and focuses on urgent tasks."

They explained that constitutional legitimacy should be strengthened for expanding proportional representation and banning satellite parties, and that a runoff voting system should be introduced for the presidential election. Regarding the runoff voting system, they explained, "It should fully guarantee the people's right to choose and enable coalition governments centered on diverse policies and values."

They also expressed the necessity of introducing a four-year renewable presidential term system. They said, "The five-year single-term presidency has repeatedly created a cycle of 'concentration of presidential power in the early regime and lame-duck syndrome at the end of the regime,'" adding, "A mechanism is needed for a president inaugurated based on policies and values through the runoff voting system to be directly accountable to the people. For this, a renewable presidential term system should be introduced so that the people can hold the president accountable through mid-term evaluations."

In response to criticism that proposing a constitutional amendment ahead of the presidential election has 'political intentions,' they said, "A constitutional amendment is not an agenda that benefits or harms any political force running in the presidential election," emphasizing, "It is merely a step forward on the right path."

They continued, "Politics must change for the future to change," and stressed, "Our constitution must also contain norms that correspond to the new spirit of the times."

The names listed in the press release included Assembly members Kang Min-jung, Kwon In-sook, Go Young-in, Kim Seung-won, Min Byung-duk, Min Hyung-bae, Yang Yi-won-young, Lee Su-jin (proportional representation), Lee Won-taek, Lee Jung-moon, Lee Tan-hee, Lim Ho-sun, Yong Hye-in, Yoo Jeong-joo, Yoon Young-duk, Jang Kyung-tae, Jang Cheol-min, Jo Jeong-hoon, Choi Kang-wook, Choi Ki-sang, Choi Hye-young, Hwang Un-ha, Heo Jong-sik, and Hong Seong-guk.

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