Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon has proposed that now is the right time to discuss constitutional amendments, responding to Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung’s stance that it’s premature. In a Facebook post on the 21st, Kim stated, “Impeachment is impeachment, and constitutional reform is constitutional reform,” describing the latter as a gateway to opening a new nation rather than a black hole.
Kim argued that the impeachment of “obstructionist leader Yoon Seok-yeol” is already a foregone conclusion and that those he refers to as “people in red ties” will no longer be able to dilute the issue by pushing for a constitutional amendment. He emphasized the need for reforms such as the “constitutional amendment to prevent illegal martial law,” transforming an unequal economy into one of opportunity, and restructuring political power to complete political reform.
He stressed that full resolution of internal conflicts can also be achieved through constitutional reform, urging Lee Jae-myung, “Now is the time to talk about constitutional reform.” Kim called for cooperation, recalling a promise made three years ago for a “7th Republic constitutional amendment.”
Alongside his statement, Kim shared a news article from March 1, 2022, in which he and Lee had agreed on a “joint political reform declaration,” promising to shorten the presidential term and draft a “7th Republic constitutional amendment.”
Meanwhile, Lee Jae-myung expressed on an MBC debate on the 19th that the current focus should be on overcoming internal conflicts rather than discussing constitutional amendments. He warned that bringing up constitutional amendments now could become a black hole, overshadowing accountability for constitutional violations, and noted that it would benefit those he describes as “people in red ties” (referring to the People Power Party).