[Inside Chodong] Hoping Constitutional Amendment Discussions Become the Seed for 'Politics That Can Give Hope'

Momentum Builds for 'One-Point' Constitutional Amendment
Aimed at Restructuring the Power System

On the afternoon of December 14 last year, when the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol was passed in the National Assembly, the electronic display board at the presidential office reception area was turned off.

‘The Darkened Presidential Office’. On the night of December 14 last year, when the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol passed the National Assembly plenary session, I unexpectedly felt tears welling up as I saw the electronic display board at the entrance of the presidential office building?usually lit with the message ‘Welcome to the Presidential Office’?turned off.

The reason for my tears was by no means the impeachment motion itself. It was because I was confronted with a sense of despair over the stark reality of the Korean National Assembly, which endlessly repeats conflict and confrontation while neglecting people’s livelihoods and the economy, culminating in the president’s catastrophic choice to take the extreme step of declaring martial law. Alarmed by this anachronistic martial law declaration, some immediately sparked discussions on constitutional amendments to address Korea’s chronic political ailments, but these efforts failed to gain momentum due to the Democratic Party’s passive stance, mindful of the possibility of an early presidential election.

Recently, a change in this atmosphere has been sensed. Not only the People Power Party but also the Democratic Party, which had been passive until now, has actively brought out the constitutional amendment card, especially led by the reformist faction. There is growing support for a ‘one-point’ reform to change the current five-year single-term presidential system power structure. On that day, Representative Seong Il-jong of the People Power Party, who held a constitutional amendment forum at the National Assembly, urged Lee Jae-myung’s participation in the discussion via social media the day before, saying, "There is someone I definitely want to invite to this place. It is Representative Lee Jae-myung."

Views from politicians and academic experts on the current constitutional amendment discussion are divided. While many agree on the necessity of constitutional reform, there are considerable doubts about whether it will actually happen and its feasibility. Given the possibility of an early presidential election, there is skepticism that the constitutional amendment debate will flare up briefly like a familiar political topic in the past and then fade away from public interest.

Academia has consistently raised the need for political structural reform to smoothly transition to a parliamentary system and a multiparty system. However, the fact that a significant portion of the public still prefers the presidential system regarding constitutional amendments is telling. It also reflects the deep public distrust of the National Assembly. To promote a parliamentary system, the public must be given time to understand and deliberate on the system. Electoral district reforms aligned with the purpose of constitutional amendments must also be accompanied.

There are also voices cautioning against premature constitutional amendment debates. A constitutional law scholar who requested anonymity said, "The discussion must not become an event for the sake of an event or a debate only for those who want constitutional amendments," adding, "Some presidential candidates propose constitutional amendment discussions tailored to their own interests, but it will not be easy." If the current National Assembly structure, dominated by two major parties, does not change, constitutional amendments cannot be a panacea.

Constitutional amendments cannot be a solution that instantly resolves the drawbacks of the current presidential system, which risks autocratic and unilateral governance, or the problems of so-called populist politics. However, through intense discussion and implementation, it can provide a framework for the public to face the current political situation realistically and seek directions for future development.

Although the new year 2025 has dawned, it does not feel like a new year because the martial law incident and its aftermath have permeated Korean society. I sincerely hope that the current constitutional amendment discussions can become a seed for the future Korean society and a stepping stone toward ‘politics that can give hope.’