People Power Party: "Let's Discuss Constitutional Amendment in the Latter Half of the Assembly... Will Prepare Our Own Proposal"

On May 7, lawmakers from the People Power Party proposed, in response to the constitutional amendment initiatives pursued by the broader pro-government bloc and the Reform New Party, that "during the second half of the 22nd National Assembly, both the ruling and opposition parties should form a Special Committee on Constitutional Amendment to discuss a comprehensive revision, ranging from the preamble to restructuring the power structure." They also stated, "We will immediately begin preparing a constitutional amendment proposal at the party level."

Yonhap News Agency

That afternoon, after holding a general assembly of lawmakers, the People Power Party released a statement declaring, "We strongly announce our determination to resolutely block any reckless and haphazard constitutional revision, together with the people."

The lawmakers stated, "Constitutional amendments must reflect history and the spirit of the times. However, the 1987 amendment focused solely on checking the imperial presidency, resulting in a distorted structure that concentrated overwhelming powers, such as budget and legislative authority, in the National Assembly." They continued, "Currently, the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea has become a scene of unchecked parliamentary dictatorship, as the largest party monopolizes the positions of Assembly Speaker and the chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, trampling the spirit of consensus."

Furthermore, regarding future constitutional amendments, they emphasized the need for: ▲ comprehensive discussions encompassing basic rights of the people and restructuring of power; ▲ rigorous debate to ensure that values including the Busan-Masan Democracy Movement, the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, the founding of the nation, the Korean War, the Saemaul Movement and modernization, the February 28 Democratization Movement, the March 15 Uprising, and the June Struggle are properly reflected.

The People Power Party lawmakers stated, "Constitutional revision must not be a behind-the-scenes maneuver by forces that undermine the rule of law, but a process with the citizens—the sovereign people—at its center." They further said, "Amendment of the Constitution should not be used as a tool for political gain in elections and should be pursued calmly during periods without elections. To prevent the distortion of public sentiment, we must avoid election periods and gather the will of the people in a rational and composed atmosphere."

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