Throwing the National Assembly Speaker, Receiving Lee Jae-myung... 'Constitutional Amendment' Faces Steep Challenges

Joo Ho-young "To Attract Public Attention"
Presidential Office "Matter to Discuss in the National Assembly"

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Kim Young-won] "The Democratic Party aims to submit its own constitutional amendment proposal by March this year. Let's derive the amendment proposal through sufficient deliberation and hold a national referendum simultaneously with next year's general election."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has brought out the 'constitutional amendment' card. Following National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, Lee also launched a 'constitutional amendment drive.' Attention is focused on whether results can be achieved as senior and newly elected lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties form a bipartisan parliamentary group for 'political reform,' following President Yoon Suk-yeol's mention of introducing a major electoral district system earlier this year, which sparked discussions on electoral system reform.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At a New Year's press conference held at the National Assembly on the 11th, Lee proposed a constitutional amendment centered on introducing a 'four-year presidential term with one re-election' and a 'runoff voting system.' This was the constitutional amendment plan he revealed during last year's presidential election and brought up again at his first press conference 138 days after taking office. Lee said, "There are no elections this year. It is an opportune time to discuss constitutional amendments," and also proposed the formation of a special committee on constitutional amendment in the National Assembly. He emphasized the necessity of revising the Public Official Election Act ahead of next year's general election, stating, "Reforming the electoral system for National Assembly members to guarantee vote equality and overcome regionalism is as important a task as constitutional amendment."

Earlier, Speaker Kim also held a New Year's press conference at the National Assembly the day before and proposed, "Let's start a 'national integration-type constitutional amendment discussion' to change the current political system, designed on a winner-takes-all basis, into a cooperative political system." He also suggested, "Let's complete the revision of the election law by March so that the recently debated electoral district reform plan can be applied from the April general election next year." Kim emphasized, "I consider the role of National Assembly Speaker as the last position in my political career," and added, "I will take setting our politics right as the mission of my 20-year political life."

On the 9th, Speaker Kim also launched a constitutional amendment advisory committee. Three co-chairs were appointed: Lee Sang-soo, Standing Representative of the Constitutional Amendment National Sovereignty Council (former Minister of Labor); Lee Ju-young, former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and a prominent constitutional amendment advocate in the political sphere; and Park Sang-chul, a constitutional law scholar and professor at the Graduate School of Political Studies, Kyonggi University. Additionally, a 21-member advisory committee was appointed.

On the same day, 52 lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties who had been conducting the 'Bipartisan Political Reform Continuous Discussion' declared their joining of the 'Bipartisan Political Reform Parliamentary Group' proposed by senior lawmakers from both sides. They stated, "In the new year, we must put down the vested interests of winner-takes-all and present new politics to the people," and added, "We will gather diverse democratic public opinions to reform the election law within the legal deadline and achieve true political reform that transcends the interests of ruling and opposition parties to create the interests of the Republic of Korea and its people."

Bipartisan political reform discussions that transcend party lines are expected to gain momentum. However, political reform is likely to focus on electoral district reform rather than constitutional amendment. The ruling party views Lee's move as a card to shift the political atmosphere to avoid his judicial risks. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "The public is curious about Lee's own prosecution investigation, but he has not said anything about his position," and added, "The unilateral convening of the January extraordinary session is like a shielded National Assembly, and the constitutional amendment is also intended to divert public attention elsewhere."

The presidential office also dismissed the constitutional amendment as a matter for the National Assembly to discuss. Cho Hae-jin, a People Power Party lawmaker who is a member of the Political Reform Special Committee and proposed the bipartisan parliamentary group, said, "Constitutional amendment requires a bipartisan agreement, which will not be easy," and added, "For now, the focus will be on discussions about electoral district reform."

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