Contenders Pledge to Change Constitution
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Presidential hopefuls have presented campaign pledges to revise the Constitution in the run-up to the Dec. 19 presidential election. Today is the 59th Constitution Day.
Leading presidential hopeful, Lee Myung-bak, of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), said the basic law should be revised overall to meet the demands of the times.
However, he insisted the clause on national security should remain intact.
Lee's party rival, Park Geun-hye, pledged to introduce a four-year, double-term presidency.
``I have insisted upon the necessity of the new presidency. If I become the president, I will try to adopt the new system through a national referendum,'' Park said.
The revised Constitution should include more content to support the free market system, she added.
The GNP already promised to amend the Constitution in April when it argued with President Roh Moo-hyun, who proposed a four-year, double-term presidency. Roh, whose five-year term ends next February, is banned from seeking re-election under the current Constitution.
Presidential hopefuls from pro-government camps, including the Uri Party and independent runners with liberal inclination, also vowed to change the Constitution.
Former Uri Chairman Chung Dong-young proposed adopting the U.S.-style presidency, which allows a president to appoint a vice president and run for re-election.
He also urged his rivals to promise to revamp the basic law as their campaign pledge.
Former Minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs Kim Doo-kwan advocated introducing a bicameral legislature for possible unification of the two Koreas.
Former Gyeonggi Governor Sohn Hak-kyu, who bolted from the GNP in March, also supported the introduction of the double-term presidency.
Sohn, however, said the nation should have enough time to gain a public consensus and work out how to revise the Constitution.
Uri Lawmaker Han Myeong-sook, who served as prime minister, has yet to present specific ideas on revising the Constitution but agreed that the basic law needs to change, her aides said.