Kukhim: "Lee Jae-myung has no interest in political reform, only obsessed with presidential ambitions"... Pressure for constitutional amendment

"Must Present Alternatives to End Extreme Confrontational Politics"

The People Power Party criticized Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who has effectively rejected the idea of simultaneous voting for the presidential election and constitutional amendment, saying, "There are criticisms that Lee Jae-myung's Democratic Party has no interest in political reform and is solely obsessed with the presidential ambition."

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is waving to supporters as he attends the continuation of the first trial for the 'Daejang-dong breach of trust and Seongnam FC bribery' case at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 8th, Kim Dong-won, spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary, "With the long-awaited presidential seat right in front of him, if constitutional amendment discussions take place, the attention that should be focused on him would be dispersed, and he would have to accept the disadvantageous situation of shortening the presidential term," expressing this view.

Spokesperson Kim pointed out, "The person who pledged during the 2022 presidential election campaign to carry out a constitutional amendment to restructure the power system even if it meant shortening the presidential term was none other than Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung," and added, "However, yesterday, he effectively rejected Speaker Woo Won-shik's proposal for simultaneous national referendums on the presidential election and constitutional amendment by saying, 'Constitutional amendment is necessary, but ending the internal conflict is a priority now.'"

He continued, "Isn't it that after calculating the pros and cons for himself, he concluded 'not now'?" and criticized, "The Democratic Party's immediate concentrated attack on the Speaker as soon as it was confirmed that Lee holds a negative stance on constitutional amendment is, in a way, a natural phenomenon in a unipolar system."

He added, "If they refuse constitutional amendment, what alternative political reform is there to end the extreme confrontational politics as it is now? It is now time for Lee Jae-myung to give a concrete answer to the people."

Kim Ki-heung, another spokesperson for the People Power Party, also said in a commentary on the same day, "Even though the president was impeached, they still keep chanting 'internal conflict, internal conflict, internal conflict,'" and pointed out, "It is exactly the same as eight years ago when then-candidate Moon Jae-in rejected constitutional amendment discussions by saying, 'The problem is the person, not the constitution.'"

Earlier, at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly the previous day, Lee Jae-myung expressed a negative stance on constitutional amendment discussions, saying, "While developing democracy is important, at this moment, preventing the destruction of democracy is much more urgent and important."