Lee renews constitutional revision push, urging lawmakers to honor democracy's bloody history
Summary
President Lee Jae Myung called for the spirit of Korea’s pro-democracy uprisings to be enshrined in the Constitution in Busan on Friday. Speaking at a ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising, he urged the National Assembly to begin constitutional revision discussions without delay. Lee linked the 1979 uprising to later democracy movements and rejected claims that the push seeks to enable his reelection.
Key Facts
- The Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising began on Oct. 16, 1979, and lasted five days as students and citizens protested the dictatorial regime of then-President Park Chung-hee.
- Lee called for the constitutional preamble to include the spirit of the Busan-Masan Uprising and the Gwangju Uprising.
- The uprising’s legacy was linked in the speech to the June Democratic Uprising of 1987 and protests against the Dec. 3, 2024 martial law declaration by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol.
- The anniversary became a national commemorative day in 2019, and Lee was the second sitting president to attend its commemoration after Moon Jae-in.
President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung observe a moment of silence during a ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising at Busan City Hall, Friday. Joint Press Corps
President Lee Jae Myung on Friday called for the spirit of Korea’s landmark pro-democracy uprisings to be enshrined in the Constitution, describing it as “the least we can do to ensure we never forget our people’s sacrifices to defend democracy and national sovereignty.”
Speaking at Busan City Hall during a ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising, Lee renewed his push for constitutional revision and urged the National Assembly to begin discussions without further delay.
The Busan-Masan Uprising was a series of demonstrations that began Oct. 16, 1979 and lasted five days, as students and citizens in the southeastern cities of Busan and Masan — the latter now part of Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province — rose up against then-President Park Chung-hee’s dictatorial regime.
“The Busan-Masan Uprising did more than bring an end to a dictatorship,” he said, tracing its legacy through subsequent pro-democracy movements, including the Gwangju Uprising in 1980, the June Democratic Uprising of 1987 and protests against the Dec. 3, 2024 martial law declaration of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The call came a day after Lee again dismissed on X claims that his push for constitutional revision was intended to allow him to seek another term.
“Haven’t both ruling and opposition parties repeatedly spoken with one voice about including the spirit of the Gwangju Uprising and the Busan-Masan Uprising in the constitutional preamble?” Lee said.
“Now is the time to turn those words into action ... I urge the National Assembly to promptly gather public opinion and hold reasoned discussions on constitutional revision.”
During his speech, the president grew tearful as he closed his address, pausing after referring to those who devoted their lives to democracy.
His voice trembling, Lee expressed respect and gratitude to uprising participants and bereaved families.
The uprising’s anniversary became a national commemorative day in 2019. Lee was the second sitting president to attend the commemoration, following Moon Jae-in, who attended the first government-organized ceremony at Kyungnam University in Changwon in 2019.
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