36 Democratic Party Lawmakers: "Now Is the Time to Pursue Constitutional Amendment... Both Parties Must Decide"

The Better Future, a political action group within the Democratic Party of Korea, on March 12 called on leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties to move forward with a constitutional amendment that could be agreed upon in conjunction with the upcoming local elections. The group emphasized that the National Assembly should promptly establish a special committee on constitutional amendment to fundamentally prevent any recurrence of illegal martial law.

In a statement released the same day, Better Future said, "On March 10, Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Wonsik proposed the formation of a 'special committee on constitutional amendment,' a phased approach to revising the constitution, and holding a constitutional referendum simultaneously with the June 3 local elections." The group expressed support for Speaker Woo's proposal and urged both parties to make a decisive commitment to the initiative.

This group, made up of 36 incumbent lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea focused on political action and policy advocacy, highlighted the need for change after 39 years under the current constitutional system since 1987. They stated, "Strengthening institutional safeguards to prevent the recurrence of illegal emergency martial law is also a pressing challenge of our time."

Woo Wonsik, Speaker of the National Assembly, is holding an emergency press conference on constitutional amendment at the National Assembly on March 10, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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In particular, they view the upcoming June 3 local elections as the ideal opportunity for constitutional amendment. Better Future stated, "With the first anniversary of the Lee Jaemyung administration and the local elections approaching, now is the time to pursue 'constitutional reform for a truly democratic Republic of Korea,' which is the top national agenda." They stressed, "What is needed now is a decision by both parties," and called on the National Assembly to quickly form a special committee on constitutional amendment and begin responsible discussions. Better Future proposed to "gradually advance issues that have already gained broad national consensus under the people's government, such as including the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement in the preamble of the Constitution, strengthening the National Assembly's power to control martial law, and enhancing local autonomy and balanced national development."

Better Future also expressed its commitment to actively participate in the constitutional amendment discussions. The group declared, "The Republic of Korea now stands at the threshold of constitutional reform," and added, "All members of Better Future will contribute their efforts to create a constitution that meets the demands of the times."

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