Speaker Woo Wonsik: President Lee Jaemyung Strongly Committed to Constitutional Amendment... Timing and Circumstances Are Key

"Prosecution Reform Is a Public Demand"
Speaker Woo Emphasizes President Lee Jaemyung's Strong Commitment to Constitutional Amendment
Criticizes Former President Yoon for Disregarding the National Assembly
Calls for Thorough Preparation to Prevent Future Insurrection

Woo Wonsik, Speaker of the National Assembly, stated that President Lee Jaemyung's commitment to constitutional amendment is "very strong."

On July 15, during an appearance on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyunjung's News Show,' Speaker Woo said, "President Lee's pledge for constitutional amendment is sincere. While there is broad agreement on the need for constitutional change, there are issues regarding timing and circumstances when it comes to actual discussions." He added, "The timing of the proposal must be carefully determined through discussions between the ruling and opposition parties, as well as communication with the presidential office. I am also giving this matter deeper consideration."

Regarding prosecution reform, he described it as a "public demand," stating, "Over the past three years under the Yoon Sukyeol administration, the public has witnessed the true nature of prosecutorial investigations." He continued, "Since prosecution reform has already become a mainstream issue, it will be discussed between the ruling and opposition parties. As Speaker of the National Assembly, I will work to facilitate a good agreement. I will also carefully observe various situations to determine how the National Assembly can best reflect the public's demands."

Woo Wonsik, Speaker of the National Assembly. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Speaker Woo also commented on former President Yoon, saying, "On the day I became Speaker, he did not call to congratulate me. It is customary and expected for the president to offer congratulations when someone becomes Speaker, as cooperation is necessary, but former President Yoon did not do so." He further criticized, "My birthday is in September, and I received a card that read, 'Happy birthday, National Assemblyman Woo Wonsik.' This shows that Yongsan has completely cut off attention to the National Assembly."

He added, "Former President Yoon did not attend the National Assembly opening ceremony in September, nor did he come to the budget policy speech in October. The president has a duty to report to the people on how he will address their lives, and the people have the right to hear from the president. Not attending even the policy speech is not only disregarding the National Assembly, but also disrespecting the people."

Regarding the 'Special Act on Insurrection' being promoted by the Democratic Party of Korea, he said, "As we saw during the 12·3 martial law situation, it is necessary to thoroughly prepare to prevent insurrection from ever happening again. The goal is to fill constitutional loopholes and prevent recurrence." He continued, "However, there are opinions that retroactive application of the 'Special Act on Insurrection' is legally difficult, and some view this law as a post-facto preventive measure. Taking these points into account, I intend to coordinate so that the ruling and opposition parties can engage in more in-depth discussions."