Lee Jun-seok: "Before Amending the Constitution on the '5·18 Spirit,' Start with Prime Minister Appointment"

"In a situation where the Prime Minister appointment was not done properly,
it is burdensome to face other tasks"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Hyunji Kwon] On the 18th, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, responded positively to the Democratic Party of Korea's proposal to establish a Constitutional Amendment and Political Reform Special Committee (Constitutional Special Committee) to include the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Movement in the preamble of the Constitution. However, he added, "Given the current political situation, where even the appointment of the Prime Minister cannot be properly confirmed, it is burdensome to bring up other tasks." This remark is interpreted as emphasizing 'cooperation' ahead of the National Assembly plenary session on the 20th, where the nomination consent bill for Prime Minister candidate Han Deok-soo is scheduled to be submitted.

After attending the 42nd anniversary ceremony of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Movement, Lee met with reporters and said regarding the Democratic Party's proposal for the Constitutional Special Committee, "If the Democratic Party wants to show such sincerity, it should first cooperate quickly with the various measures necessary for the current government to be launched."

He stated that discussions on constitutional amendment should be approached cautiously. Regarding the proposal to amend the Constitution with a one-point focus on including the spirit of May 18, Lee said, "A constitutional amendment is an issue that requires the consensus of the people once every several decades," adding, "There is not yet a consensus within the party on this matter. If discussions arise, we will try to gather opinions." He also said, "After the local elections, there will likely be discussions on changes to the electoral system and other matters with the general election in mind," and added, "The semi-proportional representation electoral system, among others, has already been effectively sentenced to expiration, so I think political discussions can proceed on a broader scale along with these changes."