Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party announced his stance on constitutional amendment at the National Assembly Communication Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd.
On the 3rd, Rep. Ahn proposed holding a national referendum on constitutional amendment along with next year’s local elections, stating, “We need to innovate beyond the imperial presidential system of the 1987 Constitution to a decentralized political system.”
During a press conference held at the National Assembly Communication Hall, Rep. Ahn discussed the need to “rebuild” South Korea through constitutional amendment.
As constitutional amendment proposals, he suggested the introduction of a four-year term for the presidency, detailed procedures and requirements for the impeachment of ministers and public officials to prevent the legislative power abuse by the majority party, and a redesign of basic rights of citizens, including universal access to information and the right to safety.
He also emphasized the need for electoral reform, suggesting changing the current small constituency system for electing National Assembly members to a large constituency system combining urban and rural areas or a German-style mixed-member proportional representation system.
Rep. Ahn stated, “The entire legislative, executive, and judicial branches in South Korea are in a comprehensive crisis due to martial law and impeachment. Amending the Constitution is a more critical task than an early presidential election. We cannot delay constitutional amendment further for the sustainable development and survival of the Republic of Korea.”
He also reached out to Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, “Please join the discussions on constitutional amendment,” and proposed a meeting.
Through Facebook, Rep. Ahn added, “I believe Mr. Lee also recognizes the necessity of constitutional amendment,” stressing, “Delaying the amendment neglects the people and future, and shirks the responsibility of a leader guiding the nation.”
He concluded by saying, “Amending the constitution to a decentralized presidential system is a clear way to realize Mr. Lee’s vision of moving beyond ideology and factions. I’m available to meet anytime and anywhere to discuss this further.”