186 Organizations Call for a New Constitution to Embody Plaza Democracy
Propose 50 Agendas Including May 18 Inclusion, Decentralization, and Basic Rights
Civil society organizations in the Gwangju region have called for a major social reform, stating, "We must amend the Constitution to build a new Republic of Korea."
The Gwangju Emergency Action for Immediate Resignation of Yoon Sukyeol and Social Reform held a press conference at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju on the 8th, emphasizing the need for constitutional amendment and announcing the 'Gwangju Declaration.' Gwangju Emergency Action is a coalition of 186 civil society organizations.
At a press conference held on the 8th at Jeonil Building 245 in Donggu, Gwangju, participants of the Gwangju Emergency Action are holding placards with the phrase "Now is the time to settle the internal strife," urging constitutional amendment and major social reform. Provided by Gwangju Emergency Action
In the declaration, they stated, "The 1987 constitutional system does not fully embody the values of plaza democracy demonstrated by the Candlelight Revolution in 2016 and the Revolution of Light in 2024," adding, "We must establish a new constitutional system that ensures an insurrection is never possible again and corrects the distorted social order."
Gwangju Emergency Action also presented 50 reform tasks in 10 key areas for major social reform. Main agenda items include enshrining the spirit of May 18 in the Constitution's preamble, stipulating a decentralized state, introducing citizen initiative and recall systems, strengthening basic rights such as care, healthcare, and housing, and dispersing presidential powers with the introduction of a four-year, two-term presidency. They also stressed the need for constitutional amendment before the 2026 local elections and proposed to the political community the formation of a pan-governmental constitutional amendment body with participation from civil society and the public.
Gwangju Emergency Action declared, "Together with democratic citizens nationwide, we will dedicate ourselves to achieving major social reform and constitutional amendment in the spirit of the Gwangju community."
Meanwhile, they plan to hold a forum at the National Assembly on the 9th, inviting six opposition parties under the theme of 'Eradicating Insurrectionist Forces and Major Social Reform.'
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