Proposal for 7th Republic Constitutional Amendment Including 4-Year Presidential Re-Election
Indicates Opposition to Deferral and Abolition of Financial Investment Tax... "We Must Withdraw the Rich Tax Cuts"
Jo Guk, leader of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, criticized First Lady Kim Geon-hee for acting like the president and argued that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration must end early.
Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is delivering a speech as the representative of a non-negotiating group at the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 9th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
On the 9th, during a speech by representatives of non-negotiating parties held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Representative Jo said, "(The Yoon administration) has not changed its policy of only taking care of the rich and the powerful. It is ignoring the collapse of the economy and people’s livelihoods," adding, "Despite this situation, the Yoon administration only blames the previous administration."
Representative Jo hinted at the possibility of impeachment against President Yoon Seok-yeol. He stated, "The past two years of the Yoon administration will be recorded as the lost two years of the Republic of Korea," and pointed out, "The ruthless, irresponsible, and incompetent Yoon administration must end before it further ruins the country." He also said, "The Jo Guk Innovation Party has formed a 'Special Committee on the Three-Year Term Being Too Long' within the party," and added, "We will wholeheartedly gather evidence of unconstitutionality and illegality, honoring the psychological impeachment already carried out by the people's hearts."
He also criticized First Lady Kim Geon-hee, who has recently been suspected of interfering in the general election. Representative Jo said, "Kim Geon-hee, who has never been elected by the people, is acting like the president," and added, "There have even been reports that Kim Geon-hee told a former ruling party lawmaker to change their electoral district. It is said that things have finally exploded even within the ruling party." He continued, "I warn you. The people remember what Choi Soon-sil did during the Park Geun-hye administration and what happened to the two as a result," adding, "No talisman or shaman will be able to protect them."
Representative Jo proposed a constitutional amendment. He mentioned the constitutional amendment proposals including ▲a four-year presidential term with one re-election ▲inclusion of the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising, the May 18 Democratic Movement, and the June 10 Democratic Uprising in the preamble of the constitution ▲strengthening social rights ▲establishing a new article on the capital for relocating the capital. He said, "Let’s form a special committee on constitutional amendment as soon as possible and draft the amendment," and added, "Let’s finalize the amendment through a national referendum before the local elections on June 3, 2026."
As socio-economic reform tasks, he proposed guaranteeing housing rights and care rights while arguing that the Yoon administration is focusing on tax cuts for the rich. This effectively expressed opposition to the abolition or suspension of the financial investment income tax being discussed by the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea. Representative Jo said, "Guaranteeing housing rights and care rights is a measure to prevent the extinction of the nation called the Republic of Korea," and added, "Anyone who promises both tax cuts and welfare expansion is a liar. Even if immediate tax increases are impossible, tax cuts for the rich must be withdrawn."
He also criticized the two-party centered political system. Representative Jo said, "Recently, the two major parties agreed to revive district parties under the pretext of political reform," and added, "The reason district parties were abolished in the past was because they were money-eating hippos. The revival of district parties only benefits politicians belonging to the two major parties." He also said, "The current National Assembly Act is based on a two-party system. The Jo Guk Innovation Party, which won 12 seats, is treated as a transparent party in the National Assembly operations," and added, "Now, let’s improve the criteria for negotiation groups."
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