Provincial Governors' Council Announces Bicameral and Four-Year Renewable Term Constitutional Amendment Proposal: "Strengthening Local Decentralization and Autonomy"

National Assembly to Be Formed with Upper House of Metropolitan Government Representatives and Lower House by Election
'Autonomous Legislative Power' Codified and 'Autonomous Planning Power' Newly Established
Council Chairman Yoo Jeong-bok: "Political Stability and National Unity Must Be Achieved Through Decentralized Growth"

The Council of Governors of South Korea, composed of heads of metropolitan governments nationwide, has proposed a constitutional amendment to decentralize the excessive powers concentrated in the President and the National Assembly and to strengthen local autonomy and decentralization.

On the 4th, Yoo Jeong-bok, Mayor of Incheon and chairman of the council, held a press conference at the National Assembly to announce the constitutional amendment, which centers on a four-year renewable presidential term, the introduction of a bicameral legislature, and the strengthening of legislative and planning powers of local governments. The amendment was proposed by the Council of Governors of South Korea and supported by the four major local councils (the Council of Mayors, County Governors, and District Heads of South Korea; the Council of Chairpersons of Provincial Councils of South Korea; and the Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils of South Korea).

Yoo Jeong-bok, Chairman of the Council of Governors (center), Jo Jae-gu, Representative Chairman of the Council of Mayors, County Governors, and District Heads (left), and Kim Hyun-gi, Chairman of the Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils, held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 4th to announce the local decentralization constitutional amendment proposal. Provided by the Council of Governors

The amendment divides the National Assembly into an upper and a lower house to improve the 'winner-takes-all' electoral system. The upper house will be composed of representatives from the 17 metropolitan and provincial local governments, while the lower house will be elected based on constituencies as currently done, but with the introduction of a multi-member district system.

Additionally, a president and vice president system will be introduced so that in the event of a presidential vacancy, the vice president elected by election will succeed the presidency to minimize national confusion. The president will serve a four-year term and may be re-elected once.

To enable local governments to realize substantial autonomy, the amendment explicitly states the 'autonomous legislative power' and grants local governments the authority to add local tax items and rates according to their circumstances, establishing a 'right to create local taxes.' Alongside this, a 'right to autonomous planning' is newly established, allowing local governments to formulate autonomous plans that differ from uniformly regulated laws in areas such as housing, education, environment, and regional planning when necessary.

The current 'Central-Local Cooperation Council,' based on law, is enshrined in the constitution to allow the central and local governments to discuss important national policies on an equal footing. The chairperson of the Central-Local Cooperation Council will be the president, with the vice president and the chairman of the Council of Governors of South Korea serving as co-vice chairs.

Furthermore, the amendment includes provisions for residents to directly participate in the composition and operation of local governments, encompassing residents' voting rights, initiative rights, and recall rights. It clarifies that in the distribution of affairs between the state and local governments, the local government closer to the residents takes precedence.

The amendment also codifies provisions regarding the capital of South Korea, laying the groundwork for future discussions on relocating the capital.

Regarding the controversial Article 84 of the current constitution on the president's criminal immunity, it clearly stipulates that prosecution is prohibited only for criminal cases occurring during the president's term, specifying that criminal cases arising before the term are not suspended by the president's election.

The management of elections, currently regulated under Chapter 7 of the constitution, is adjusted to Chapter 4, Section 2 of the government, Subsection 5, the National Election Commission, so that the election commission retains constitutional status but becomes an audit institution subject to the Board of Audit and Inspection, similar to general administrative agencies.

The first presidential election conducted under the amended constitution will be held within 100 days from the enforcement date of the constitution, and the term of the first president elected under the amended constitution is set to end in late May 2028, establishing a provision for simultaneous presidential and National Assembly elections in the future.

At the press conference, Jo Jae-gu, representative chairman of the Council of Mayors, County Governors, and District Heads of South Korea, and Kim Hyun-ki, chairman of the Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils of South Korea, were also present.

Mayor Yoo said, "The main cause of the current political confusion and socio-economic difficulties lies in the constitution, the fundamental law that defines our political system," adding, "The current constitution, enacted in 1987 and nearly 40 years old, must be amended, and now is the most appropriate time as academia, experts, and the majority of the public agree on the necessity of constitutional revision."

He continued, "The constitutional amendment is an economic amendment that revitalizes the economy, aims to achieve political stability and national unity through decentralized growth, and opens the future of a happy Republic of Korea for its people," emphasizing, "The National Assembly should not delay constitutional amendment due to differing political interests."

Meanwhile, the council plans to hold a 'National Assembly Grand Debate on Decentralized Constitutional Amendment' jointly with the Korea Federation of Constitutional Associations, the Korean Constitutional Law Association, the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, and the National Council for Decentralization on the 7th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building large conference room.

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