Lee Junghyun: "I Support Including May 18 in the Constitution's Preamble... National Assembly Vote Should Be a Free Vote, Not a Party Line"

Woo Won-shik Publicly Urges Explanation of Opposition to Constitutional Amendment

"May 18 Is Not a Regional Event, but a History of Democracy"

As National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik visited Gwangju and announced his intention to push for a constitutional amendment to include the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement in the preamble, calling on the People Power Party to guarantee a free vote, Lee Junghyun, preliminary candidate for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor from the People Power Party, stated, "I have long supported its inclusion in the preamble."

In response to an inquiry from The Asia Business Daily on April 21, Lee also expressed his view that it would be preferable for the National Assembly vote to be conducted as a free vote.

People Power Party's Lee Junghyun, Head of the Nomination Management Committee, is announcing his intention to resign on the 31st of last month at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier that morning, Speaker Woo visited the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju and held a press conference, emphasizing the need to include the spirit of May 18 in the preamble, saying, "This constitutional amendment, being promoted for the first time in 39 years, will reflect on the history of democracy and serve as an 'opening of the door' for Korea's future." He also urged the leadership of the People Power Party to guarantee a free vote, stating, "It is hard to accept that all political forces are now blocking a promise made here in Gwangju by adopting it as a party position."

During this process, Speaker Woo also publicly mentioned candidate Lee, saying, "If you wish to gain the support of Gwangju, you need an attitude that reflects that," and added, "It would be right for you to first explain to the citizens of Gwangju whether the party's opposition to constitutional amendment is truly justified."

In response, Lee told The Asia Business Daily, "Speaker Woo Won-shik asked for my opinion," and added, "This issue should not be turned into a matter of political strife." He continued, "Rather than the National Assembly steering this in a single direction, each lawmaker should be respected for their autonomous judgment based on conscience and historical awareness."

He further stated, "I have long supported the inclusion of the spirit of May 18 in the preamble," and explained, "May 18 is not an event limited to a particular region, but a history of democracy that Korea has defended with blood." He added, "The preamble of the Constitution is where the state declares its origins and the values it has upheld, and including the sacrifices of the people and the process of restoring democracy is a way to elevate the dignity of the nation."

However, he emphasized that "this issue should not be decided by cornering or dividing anyone, but through sufficient discussion and broad social consensus."

He went on to say, "The vote should be free, the judgment should be based on conscience, and the conclusion should lead to national unity," adding, "Enshrining history in the Constitution should not be about dividing the past, but a promise to move together into the future."

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