Woo Wonsik: "First Deadline for Constitutional Amendment Is Next Year's Local Elections... Special Committee Must Be Formed by Early Next Month"

Addressing Industrial Accidents and the Climate Crisis Urged
National Assembly Should Review Resolution for Peace on the Korean Peninsula

On September 1, Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Wonsik proposed, "By October, the conditions will be sufficient to discuss constitutional amendment," and suggested, "Let us establish a special committee on constitutional revision during this regular session of the National Assembly."

In his opening address at the regular session held at the National Assembly that day, Speaker Woo stated, "We must pass a resolution to form the special committee on constitutional amendment by early October at the latest, so that we can begin full-fledged discussions as soon as the government audit is over." He requested the ruling and opposition parties to agree on the formation of the committee. Regarding the timing of the amendment, he proposed, "Let us set next year's local elections as the first deadline."

Concerning the method of constitutional amendment, he stressed, "It is important to clarify that we will proceed only as much as we can and only to the extent that consensus is possible," adding, "At this moment, opening the door to constitutional revision is the most important task." He continued, "It is desirable for the National Assembly to take the lead in the process, working closely with the government and gathering public opinion." He also stated, "Transitioning from a comprehensive and all-encompassing approach to a phased and continuous one, and shifting the initiative from the presidency to the National Assembly, will increase the likelihood of success."

Woo Wonsik, Speaker of the National Assembly, delivers the opening address at the opening ceremony of the 429th regular session of the National Assembly held at the main chamber on September 1, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

As part of preparations for constitutional amendment, he also recommended revising the National Referendum Act. He emphasized, "It is urgent to amend provisions that have been ruled unconstitutional, such as the voting rights of overseas Koreans and the voting age, which differ from the Public Official Election Act, and to establish a legal basis for holding the referendum simultaneously with public elections."

Speaker Woo also proposed reforms for the National Assembly. He announced, "Within this month, I will launch an advisory body to the Speaker, which will identify key tasks under three pillars: 'a working parliament,' 'strengthening the separation of powers,' and 'meeting public expectations.' I will also suggest directions for discussion." He added, "Matters that can be addressed during this regular session will be handled promptly, while issues with significant differences between the parties or based on seat count should first reach agreement on principles, and could be implemented starting from the 23rd National Assembly." Regarding the content of the reforms, he suggested improvements to the formation of the Assembly, the system for reviewing structure and wording, personnel hearing procedures, requirements for negotiation groups, and the introduction of video plenary sessions. He also mentioned strengthening the review of administrative legislation, functions for budget and settlement deliberation, and the authority to request data.

Woo Wonsik: "No One Should Die While Working"

In his opening address, Speaker Woo devoted considerable attention to the issue of industrial accidents, expressing his strong commitment to resolving it. He stated, "At the very least, no one should have to face the tragic fate of dying while working, nor should anyone suffer injustice due to lack of power." He proposed strengthening the state's responsibility for industrial accidents, amending laws to prevent the outsourcing of risk, and expanding the budget for industrial accident prevention projects. He also suggested enhancing the effectiveness of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and introducing a pre-compensation system for industrial accident insurance.

He also called for active measures to address the climate crisis. Speaker Woo said, "We must turn the response to the climate crisis into a new opportunity," and emphasized, "With bold challenges from businesses and strong support from the government, we must accelerate the transition to a low-carbon industry." On the legislative front, he stressed, "Let us ensure that bills such as the Carbon Neutral Industry Act and the RE100 Industrial Complex Special Act, which will serve as the foundation for new growth industries, are passed in a timely manner."

Additionally, regarding peace on the Korean Peninsula, he stated, "The National Assembly should play an active role in creating an environment for peace on the Korean Peninsula," and requested, "I ask all lawmakers from both parties to actively review and discuss the adoption of a 'Resolution for Peace on the Korean Peninsula.'" The resolution is intended to include only items on which both the ruling and opposition parties can agree, such as the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue, cooperation on separated families, and opposition to war on the Korean Peninsula.