Constitutional reform drive falters as DPK rejects referendum
open image galleryRep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, listens to remarks by the party's Supreme Council members during a party leadership meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiPublished Apr 7, 2025 4:50 pm KST
The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which holds a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, rejected a proposal on Monday to hold a constitutional referendum alongside a snap presidential election tentatively scheduled for early June, undermining efforts to reform Korea’s separation of powers.
As a result, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik’s push for change has stalled, and candidates from the People Power Party (PPP) and rival figures from within the DPK are struggling to regain momentum following the impeachment last week of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. This setback highlights the deep political mistrust and the difficulty of pursuing significant reforms during a volatile election period.
DPK leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung rejected the proposal, saying that restoring stability following the recent political upheaval must take precedence over efforts to revise the nation's separation of powers.
A political showdown is brewing between bipartisan supporters of constitutional reform, including Woo, and Lee, the leading presidential contender and head of the largest party in the legislature, who has firmly opposed any preelection amendment.
With PPP politicians and Lee’s rivals within the DPK advocating for changes to the separation of powers, constitutional reform is set to become a major point of contention during both the party primaries and the presidential campaign.
At a party leadership meeting on Monday, Lee said, "While constitutional reform is important, it is far more urgent to prevent the collapse of democracy, restore what has been destroyed and overcome the current state of unrest."
Lee also warned that proposals such as adopting a four-year presidential term (instead of the current five-year term), transferring oversight of the Board of Audit and Inspection to the Assembly, allowing lawmakers to nominate the prime minister, introducing a runoff voting system, and strengthening local autonomy and basic rights could become highly divisive.
He added that forcing complex constitutional issues into the election debate could heighten political tensions without producing meaningful results.
Rep. Kwon Young-se, interim leader of the People Power Party, speaks during an emergency leadership meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
"It would be better for each presidential candidate to present their positions to the public and, after the election, move swiftly to deliver on those promises," he said.
Lee said that any constitutional amendments tied to the presidential election should be limited to two areas, enshrining the spirit of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising in the Constitution’s preamble and tightening the conditions for declaring martial law, with both changes contingent on revisions to the Referendum Act.
In doing so, he effectively rejected Woo’s proposal to hold a national referendum on election day for a broader constitutional overhaul, including changes to the separation of powers.
Lawmakers from the DPK also expressed skepticism about pushing for constitutional reform during the election period.
Rep. Park Sung-joon, the party’s senior deputy floor leader, said in a KBS radio interview, "The consensus is that constitutional revision would require considerable time."
DPK Rep. Kim Byung-joo also criticized the Assembly speaker.
"He made the proposal at a very inappropriate time," Kim said.
However, Lee's rivals within the DPK and the PPP are expected to increase pressure on the party leader by persistently advocating for constitutional reforms throughout the presidential race.
Kim Doo-gwan, a former lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea, announces his presidential bid at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
At a meeting of the PPP’s emergency leadership committee, acting leader Kwon Young-se said, "Public demand for political reform has been growing following the impeachment crisis. We have seen the consequences of concentrating too much power in the presidency. As a result, cooperation has disappeared, and politics has degenerated into partisan conflict," he said, stressing the need for constitutional reform.
The PPP plans to draft its own constitutional amendment and push to hold a national referendum on election day.
Rival presidential contenders within the DPK who are critical of Lee are also calling for constitutional reforms to restructure the country’s separation of powers.
Kim Doo-gwan, a former lawmaker who declared his presidential bid on Monday, openly criticized Lee’s stance, saying, "I completely disagree with Lee’s remarks."
Kim recalled, "Looking back 38 years ago, after the June 10 democratic uprising, the ruling and opposition parties reached an agreement and passed a constitutional referendum through the Assembly by Oct. 27. It took just four months."
On June 10, 1987, massive student protests, sparked by the death of a student hit by a tear gas canister, led to Korea's shift to a democratic government with direct elections.
He said he hopes the DPK will take a more proactive approach toward constitutional reforms.
"I believe it is ideal for the president and prime minister to share leadership of the country," he added, expressing support for a four-year presidential term with the prime minister elected by the legislature.
Bahk Eun-ji
ejb@koreatimes.co.kr
No comments:
Post a Comment