Presidential office rejects DPK's proposal for 'one-point' constitutional amendment

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, October 3, 2023 | 09:44

Politics

Presidential office rejects DPK's proposal for 'one-point' constitutional amendment

Posted : 2023-05-18 12:40

Updated : 2023-05-18 15:23

President Yoon Suk Yeol, second from right, alongside a group of bereaved families, sings the song "March for the Beloved" symbolizing a 1980 pro-democracy uprising, during a memorial ceremony at a national cemetery in Gwangju, May 18. Yonhap

The presidential office on Thursday rejected opposition leader Lee Jae-myung's proposal for a "one-point" constitutional amendment to include the spirit of the 1980 Gwangju uprising in the preamble of the Constitution.

The leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) proposed Wednesday rival parties work together to carry out the revision, which was one of President Yoon Suk Yeol's campaign promises, in time for next year's parliamentary elections.

A presidential official expressed its disapproval, saying the proposal "disrespects the spirit" of the pro-democracy uprising and appears to be merely a tactic to divert public attention from corruption scandals engulfing the main opposition party.

"This one-point constitutional amendment proposal is nothing more than a ploy by politicians tainted by corruption to turn the political landscape around," the official said.

He assured President Yoon remains committed to fulfilling his promise of incorporating the spirit of the May 18, 1980, pro-democracy movement into the Constitution.

But it would be done through a national consensus and the proper procedures required for a constitutional amendment, he said.

"The spirit of May 18 will undoubtedly be reflected in the Constitution when we revise the constitution through appropriate procedures," he added.

The nation marked the 43rd anniversary of the historic event in which citizens of the southwestern city protested against the ruling junta led by Chun Doo-hwan in May 1980. The military's brutal crackdown left about 200 people dead and thousands injured.

Another presidential official raised concerns about the DPK undermining the fundamental constitutional values of liberty and human rights.

"The May 18 spirit should not be used in a political maneuver to turn things around by a force that tries to take 'freedom' away from 'liberal democracy' and turns a blind eye to the dire human rights situation in North Korea," the official said.

The official referred to the DPK's announcement in early 2018 that it will push to remove the word "free" from Article 4 of the Constitution, which stipulates the nation's pursuit of a peaceful reunification of the peninsula "based on the basic free and democratic order."

The party later retracted the announcement, saying it was a mistake.

Later on Thursday, DPK leader Lee once again urged President Yoon to fulfill his campaign promise.

"I again urge the president, the government and the ruling party to honor their commitment to include the spirit of the Gwangju Democratization Movement in the preamble of the Constitution through a one-point constitutional amendment in the upcoming general election," Lee told reporters after attending a memorial event in Gwangju. (Yonhap)

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