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Constitutional revision should first reflect public opinions

Constitutional revision should first reflect public opinions

Posted October. 25, 2016 07:18,   

Updated October. 25, 2016 07:24

한국어

President Park Geun-hye has kicked off an initiative to seek constitutional amendment. In her speech on next year’s state budget at the National Assembly on Monday, President Park said, “To complete constitutional amendment within my term in office, we will establish an organization tasked with constitutional amendment within the government, and have it create a draft bill.” She has formalized her bid to achieve constitutional amendment within her term in office. “The current five-year singer-term presidency system, which has remained in effect since its amendment in 1987, may have been appropriate for the democratization era of the past,” Park said, while emphasizing the need for constitutional amendment. "It is the time for Korea to devise and create a 2017 system that will help the country take a new leap forward. I would like to ask the National Assembly to create a special committee on constitutional amendment, collect public opinions, and discuss the scope and contents of constitutional amendment.” Against this backdrop, the entire political circle is set to enter a political phase of constitutional amendment.

“Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the current Constitution, which is an outcome of the so-called ‘1987 regime,” and stressed that the 20th National Assembly should be the ‘master of constitutional history,' which achieves constitutional amendment," National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun said at the opening ceremony of the 20th National Assembly in June. "The public already has consensus that the current Constitution, which was born as a result of democratization struggles in 1987, was meant to prevent a president from extending his or her rule, and was the outcome of ‘political compromise’ between one Roh (Roh Tae-woo) and three Kims (Kim Young-sam, Kim Dae-jung, and Kim Jong-pil), and therefore its lifespan has already expired.”

The president’s judgement that it is the right timing to seek constitutional amendment is reasonable as well. The former presidents proposed constitutional amendment during the final years of their presidency after realizing the limitations of the five-year singer-term presidency system. But the leading candidate in presidential elections always put the brake on constitutional amendment bid by labeling the effort as a "measure meant to prolong the rule." It is true that the current situation wherein a strong candidate for future political power has yet to emerge offers an environment conducive for constitutional amendment. A total of 192 of the 300 lawmakers belong to the group pursuing constitutional amendment, and the number is very close to 200 seats, which is required for constitutional amendment.

Moon Jae-in, a leading presidential candidate from the opposition camp, however, expressed his opposition on Monday. “President Park Geun-hye's constitutional amendment is seeking to create something like a Second Yushin (Restoration) Constitution meant to prolong her rule," Moon said. "The president should focus her efforts on dispelling suspicions surrounding Choi Soon-shil gate scandal and reviving the economic livelihoods of the people. Some 60 lawmakers of the Minjoo Party are reportedly supporting Moon.

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party also expressed his objection, by saying that changing the election system for lawmakers is more urgent than constitutional amendment. Despite favorable mood within the National Assembly, President Park and the presidential office should ensure that they can overcome opposition by leading presidential candidates of the opposition camp and push to achieve constitutional amendment.

A new Constitution that will open up a "2017 regime" should contain and reflect the basic rights and recognition of public welfare, information society, and decentralization of power. Korea should not seek "one-point constitutional amendment" only for revising power structure. If management of national security and economic crises is handled sloppily amid the looming turmoil of constitutional amendment, it is better not to seek constitutional amendment in the first place. Constitutional amendment used as a political plot for next year’s presidential election can never be successful. If President Park wishes to become a president who successfully helps achieve constitutional amendment, she should, more than anything, dump her own personal agendas. Only then will constitutional revision become streamlining constitutional amendment that will change the framework of the Republic of Korea.



박제균논설위원 phark@donga.com