The Worst Constitution Day Without an Opening Ceremony... Ruling Party: "Must Resist Parliamentary Dictatorship," Opposition: "Warning of Exercising Right to Resist" (Summary)

76th Anniversary of Constitutional Amendment Day Ceremony Held at National Assembly
Woo Won-sik, Speaker of the National Assembly, Officially Proposes Constitutional Amendment for 2026

The 22nd National Assembly marked Constitution Day without even holding an opening ceremony. Instead of promising political recovery or parliamentary democracy, the ruling and opposition parties pointed to each other as forces threatening the constitutional order and solidified their determination for confrontation.

On the 76th Constitution Day on the 17th, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the Special Prosecutor Act for Chae Sang-byeong and the impeachment petition hearing for President Yoon Seok-yeol, engaging in mutual slander. Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, held a "Democratic Party's Unconstitutional and Illegal Impeachment Incitement Condemnation Rally" at a party meeting, criticizing, "Our people are recklessly shouting and inciting impeachment against the president elected through democratic procedures according to the constitution and laws." Choo said, "We will resolutely fight against the Democratic Party's parliamentary dictatorship that reigns above the constitution and commits legislative violence."

Park Chan-dae, acting party leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized at the Supreme Council meeting regarding Constitution Day, "The ruling party, which should bear unlimited responsibility for state affairs, has been preoccupied with undermining the separation of powers and parliamentary democracy, causing the president to abuse veto power and executive orders over the past two years." Park launched an offensive, saying, "If the administration does not change its attitude, the people should remember that they can exercise direct resistance rights."

Speaker Woo Won-shik is delivering a congratulatory speech at the 76th Constitution Day celebration held at the National Assembly Rotunda on the 17th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Corps

The confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties is intensifying.

Kim Yong-min, deputy floor leader for policy of the Democratic Party, said in an MBC radio interview regarding the Special Prosecutor Act for Chae Sang-byeong, "If the re-vote is rejected, we basically plan to reintroduce it," adding, "The situation has changed since the two previous submissions, and many people have concerns that it has escalated to state corruption, so we will add more and propose an expanded special prosecutor law." This means that if the re-vote on the Special Prosecutor Act is rejected again due to opposition from People Power Party lawmakers, a stronger special prosecutor law will be prepared.

As the direct confrontation continues, the ruling and opposition parties are moving more firmly toward a factional showdown. The People Power Party even suggested the possibility that Ahn Cheol-soo, who initially supported the Special Prosecutor Act for Chae Sang-byeong, may have changed his stance. Kwak Kyu-taek, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, explained on the same radio, "Recently, seeing the Democratic Party's repeated impeachment and special prosecutor demands, it seems they have come to understand that these are highly political claims," adding, "I expect their position will change when the re-vote occurs."

Regarding the impeachment petition hearing, the People Power Party maintains the position that the hearing is null and void as it disregards the impeachment procedures stipulated by the constitution, and they are requesting the Constitutional Court's judgment through constitutional complaints. On the other hand, the Democratic Party believes the legal issues have been resolved. The Democratic Party especially plans to summon Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok and others as witnesses to probe external pressure related to delays in investigations concerning First Lady Kim Geon-hee.

Even the day before, the ruling and opposition parties discussed the agenda for the July extraordinary session of the National Assembly, including the opening ceremony commemorating the new parliamentary term chaired by Speaker Woo Won-shik, but aside from agreeing to hold regular Monday luncheon meetings, no consensus was reached.

Hwang Woo-yeo, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and Park Chan-dae, Acting Party Leader and Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, are conversing at the 76th Constitution Day celebration held at the National Assembly Rotunda Hall on the 7th. The second from the left is Choo Kyung-ho, Floor Leader of the People Power Party. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

On Constitution Day, Speaker Woo proposed in his congratulatory address, "Let's promote constitutional amendment with the goal of holding a national referendum on constitutional revision during the 2026 local elections." Woo also expressed his ambition to establish a social grand compromise body by meeting with businesses and labor unions to create a platform for social dialogue.

He said, "Politics is drifting further away from the people's expectations, livelihoods and future agendas are evaporating amid the whirlpool of factional conflicts, economic and diplomatic space is shrinking amid great power hegemonic competition, science and technology are rapidly changing day by day, and the people’s living environment is deteriorating to the point where anxiety and confusion sometimes obscure the future," adding, "We must resolve old issues and create a framework to respond to the new era to overcome this crisis."

Speaker Woo, who said "constitutional amendment breathes life into the constitution," urged the ruling and opposition parties, "Let's promote constitutional amendment with the goal of holding a national referendum on constitutional revision during the 2026 local elections," and proposed, "Let's first form a 'Special Committee on Constitutional Amendment'." While leaving open the scope of the amendment and the timing of its application, he also suggested the methodology of pushing for constitutional amendment before the local elections.

Regarding this, he also proposed constitutional amendment talks with President Yoon Seok-yeol. Woo said, "If the president and the legislative representatives meet directly and exchange broad opinions, the feasibility of constitutional amendment will greatly increase," and added, "I look forward to a progressive and productive dialogue."

Additionally, Woo said, "In addition to long-standing issues such as structural low growth, deepening polarization and inequality, and fragile labor and social safety nets, new challenges such as population aging and shrinking society response, carbon neutrality, and digital transformation are flooding in," emphasizing, "There is no other way but social grand compromise based on the spirit of solidarity and inclusion between classes and generations, resolved through a comprehensive agreement within the broad framework of economic and social policies." He said, "The Speaker's ambition is to create a social grand compromise body at the National Assembly level to discuss what to concede and what to gain, and to develop it into a grand compromise in which all sectors of society become stakeholders."

Speaker Woo mentioned the legislative support capacity of the National Assembly, saying, "We can take the lead in laying the foundation for 'social grand compromise and package deals,'" and added, "We will fulfill the National Assembly's duty to understand and mediate conflicts over socioeconomic policies that have a huge impact on the lives of the people."