In the Press
Nat'l Assembly speaker proposes constitutional revision be put to direct vote in 2026 elections
- Jul 19, 2024
- 107
SEOUL, July 17 (Yonhap) -- National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik on Wednesday proposed the parliament come up with a bill to revise the Constitution with the aim of holding a national referendum in 2026.
Woo made the suggestion in an address marking the 76th anniversary of Constitution Day, officially proposing that President Yoon Suk Yeol hold talks with the Assembly to discuss the amendment.
"The 22nd National Assembly should be one that succeeds in revising the Constitution," he said at the ceremony, seeking support from the rival parties.
"We should pass the constitutional revision bill by the next local elections under any circumstances while leaving open the scope of the Constitution and the timing of applying the new Constitution," he added.
Woo proposed forming a special committee on the constitutional amendment, saying an advisory body directly under the Assembly speaker will be launched at the earliest date to push for discussions.
"I also propose a dialogue on the Constitution to President Yoon," he said. "If the president and the legislative representatives meet in person and have wide-ranging discussions, the possibility of realizing the constitutional revision will be much greater."
Past attempts to revise the 1987 Constitution, which limited the presidency to a single five-year term, have failed due to political power split between a powerful presidency and a fractious parliament.
In South Korea, the president or parliament can propose a constitutional amendment, which must be approved by a two-thirds majority in the Assembly and then by a majority in a national referendum in which more than half of eligible voters participate.
Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties accused each other of disrespecting the "spirit of the Constitution."
Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), and party members staged a rally at the National Assembly, condemning the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) for its "legislative dictatorship."
PPP Rep. Cho Ji-yeon also called on the DP to immediately stop its "unconstitutional" push for Yoon's impeachment and to pass contentious special counsel probe bills.
The DP, on the other hand, criticized Yoon's repeated use of veto rights on opposition-led bills, calling it an "attempt to destroy the spirit of the Constitution."
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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[Photo 1] National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik delivers a speech to mark the 76th anniversary of Constitution Day on July 17, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
[Photo 2] Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, and party members hold a rally criticizing the main opposition at the National Assembly on July 17, 2024, ahead of a ceremony to mark the 76th anniversary of Constitution Day. (Yonhap)
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