Ruling Party Raises Constitutional Amendment as Political Issue
Pressure on Lee to Join Constitutional Amendment Talks Amid His Silence
The People Power Party has been raising the issue of constitutional amendment day after day, turning it into a political agenda. As Lee Jae-myung, the leading opposition presidential candidate and leader of the Democratic Party, remains silent on the constitutional amendment issue, the party appears to be applying all-around pressure.
On the 6th, Seong Il-jong, a member of the People Power Party, held a "Constitutional Amendment Forum for National Transformation" at the National Assembly. The party leadership, including Kwon Young-se, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, and Kwon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, attended the event. Additionally, political veterans such as Kim Jong-in, former emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, Kim Jin-pyo, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Jeong Dae-cheol, chairman of the Constitutional Association, and Lee Jae-o, chairman of the Democracy Movement Memorial Foundation, were present in large numbers.
The attendees agreed on the necessity of constitutional amendment to reform the presidential system of concentrated power and called for bipartisan participation in the constitutional amendment discussions. Floor leader Kwon emphasized, "It is time to break the cycle of repeated tragedies and fundamentally change the framework of national governance for sustainable development, not for partisan or political purposes." Representative Seong retorted, "Lee Jae-myung talks about pragmatism, but what good is pragmatism when the national structural design is flawed?" Former emergency committee chairman Kim, who delivered the keynote speech, stated, "Those who seek to change the basic framework of Korean politics will have an advantage in the presidential election," and stressed, "In this election, candidates running should be forced to make a public pledge regarding constitutional amendment."
The People Power Party is driving the constitutional amendment agenda day after day. They have nominated Representative Joo Ho-young as the chairman of the constitutional amendment special committee, which is set to launch next week, and are in the process of selecting committee members. Once the special committee is formed, it plans to begin drafting its own constitutional amendment proposal. On the 12th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and party leadership will hold a forum on constitutional amendment for local decentralization, continuing the discussions.
This is interpreted as a move to draw Lee Jae-myung into the constitutional amendment debate. While the opposition, centered around the non-Lee faction, has ignited the constitutional amendment issue, Lee has taken a reserved stance, stating that overcoming internal strife is a priority.
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