Handonghun: "The 87 System Has Reached Its End... Will Achieve Constitutional Amendment and Step Down Three Years Later"

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon stated, "I will not pass down the shameful reality of the overuse of martial law and impeachment."

Former People Power Party Representative Han Dong-hoon. Yonhap News Agency

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On the morning of the 1st, Han posted on Facebook an article titled "The greatest and most urgent task to avoid passing down a shameful reality and to bring permanent and complete joy and happiness to future generations," writing, "According to the Korean Declaration of Independence, the March 1st Movement was a sacrifice and practice for 'the greatest and most urgent task of ensuring the definite independence of the homeland to avoid passing down a shameful reality and to bring permanent and complete joy and happiness to future generations."

He said, "Without the sacrifices of these patriotic martyrs, the independent and free democratic Republic of Korea we have today would not exist," adding, "We now stand before a shameful reality." He then pointed out "the 29 impeachments carried out by the Democratic Party of Korea and the martial law-like actions of President Yoon Seok-yeol, which represent the collapse of political 'restraint.'"

Regarding the cause, he argued, "It is because the great 1987 system, which fostered the development and democratization of South Korea, has reached the end of its lifespan," and stated, "It is now time to change the era." Han evaluated, "It has failed every time," and said, "Politicians only try to become the protagonists of the new era, but there has been no spirit of sacrifice to close the door on the old era."

He emphasized, "Just like the spirit of sacrifice of the patriotic martyrs who ended the Japanese colonial period and created a new era for an independent Korea, the spirit of sacrifice of politicians who close the door on the old era and change the era through constitutional amendment is urgently needed," adding, "If there is no firm promise to step down three years after achieving constitutional amendment, the current hostile symbiotic politics will repeat itself even more harshly." He also said, "Not passing down a shameful reality is the duty of politicians, and I will definitely fulfill this duty," pledging to take the lead and make sacrifices.

Former leader Han has recently put constitutional amendment theory at the forefront. In particular, the 'term reduction amendment,' which aims to shorten the next president's term to three years, is a hot topic. If an early presidential election is held this year, the next president's term should be changed to a four-year renewable term through constitutional amendment, but their own term should be shortened to three years to align with the 2028 general and presidential elections. He also published an autobiography titled People First.

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