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| President Moon Jae-in greets members of the taskforce under the Presidential Commission on Policy Planning that drew up a draft of the government's constitutional revision suggestions, before a lunch meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Left is Jung Hae-gu, head of the commission. / Yonhap |
By Kim Rahn
A constitutional revision has become a bone of contention between the government and opposition parties, as President Moon Jae-in seeks to submit the government's own version of a revision despite their protest.
The President plans to do so with the aim of putting the revision to a referendum in tandem with the June 13 local elections, as related talks at the National Assembly are not making progress. But opposition parties are demanding the President leave the issue with the Assembly, claiming he is attempting to amend the Constitution according to his interest.
A taskforce under the Presidential Commission on Policy Planning, which drew up the government's suggestions of the revision following Moon's order, reported its draft to the President, Tuesday.
"Holding the referendum and local elections together was my campaign pledge; it is an opportunity that may not come again, and it's a way to save on taxes. If we miss this chance, it will be difficult for us to have one again during the 20th Assembly," Moon said in a meeting with the team members.
The President denounced the opposition parties for not making progress on the revision talks but merely criticizing his attempts at putting together a draft. He called such criticism "irresponsible."
"If the Assembly wants to lead a constitutional revision, it needs to put it into action, not just talk about it."
Moon said he would keep urging the Assembly to come up with its own revision bill, but if the Assembly fails to do so, "I can't help exercising my right to submit the government-led bill."
Cheong Wa Dae officials said Moon is likely to submit the revision bill around March 21, a time that would guarantee the Assembly 60 days of review according to the related law.
The Assembly or president can submit a constitutional revision bill, and when the president does, the Assembly reviews it for up to 60 days and then votes on it. If at least two thirds of registered lawmakers agree to it, it will be put to a referendum.
For a power restructuring, the draft suggests reducing the presidential term from the current five years to four and instead allowing a consecutive term. Even if the clause is changed in that way, Moon cannot seek a consecutive term as the new rule will start to be applied from the term of his successor.
But it remains to be seen whether the government's final version will include this clause, which is getting the fiercest protest from opposition parties, especially the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP). It is possible for Moon to exclude the clause to increase the possibility of the bill's passage at the Assembly.
The draft also proposes holding a runoff election for the president when no candidates gain a majority of the total votes. The idea reflects criticism that a candidate who does not gain majority public support is elected under the current simple majority system.
According to the draft, the Assembly will recommend a candidate for prime minister and the president will appoint the person.
Presidential power will be cut with the Assembly gaining larger rights in naming members of the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court and the National Election Commission, according to the draft.
While the current Constitution doesn't have a clause about the nation's capital, a new clause will stipulate that the capital is decided according to the law, which will then allow the government to designate a city as an administrative capital or an economic capital. Previously the Constitutional Court ruled Seoul is the capital according to the "customary Constitution."
Opposition parties protest
The LKP has opposed holding the referendum and the local elections together, and even other opposition parties, which are okay with the June referendum, are against the President taking the initiative of the revision.
With their opposition, the chance of the government bill to pass the parliamentary vote seems low, because the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) holds 121 out of 293 Assembly seats.
"The President is submitting a revision bill while parliamentary talks are ongoing, and this is oppression to prevent constitutional revision by the Assembly that represents the people," Rep. Kim Sung-tae, floor leader of the LKP, said.
Rep. Kim Dong-cheol, floor leader of the Bareun Mirae Party, also said, "The Cheong Wa Dae-led constitutional revision means the government regards the ruling party as a rubber stamp and ignores opposition parties."
Justice Party Chairwoman Lee Jeong-mi asked Moon to reconsider the submission of the bill, saying it is likely to only aggravate the partisan conflicts and unlikely to pass the parliamentary vote.
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