President Lee Jae-myung Calls for Constitutional Reform on Constitution Day

On July 17, President Lee Jae-myung (이재명) emphasized the need for constitutional reform during the 77th anniversary of Constitution Day. He stated, "It is time to revise and refine our constitution to align with the changing realities of our society." In his message, he highlighted key areas for reform, including the inclusion of the 'May 18 Democratic Uprising' in the preamble, strengthening citizens' basic rights, expanding local autonomy, and reforming power institutions. This marks the first time President Lee has mentioned constitutional reform since taking office.
President Lee expressed hope that the National Assembly, as the representative body of the people, would take the lead in this reform process. On the same day, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik (우원식) echoed this sentiment, stating that the constitution should be updated to meet the demands of the times. Speculation has arisen that the ruling party may schedule a national referendum on constitutional amendments during the local elections next year.
While President Lee did not specify particular amendments, he previously mentioned enhancing citizens' rights, including the right to safety, the right to life, and the right to information during his presidential campaign. He also proposed establishing constitutional bodies to ensure maximum local autonomy. Additionally, the complete relocation of the presidential office and the National Assembly to Sejong City, as promised during his campaign, would require constitutional changes.
The mention of 'reform of power institutions' is interpreted as a reference to the prosecution and the Board of Audit and Inspection. During his campaign, President Lee pledged to abolish the exclusive right of prosecutors to request warrants, a provision that currently allows only prosecutors to file such requests. The Democratic Party, which advocates for the abolition of prosecutorial investigative powers, argues that this clause must be amended or removed to prevent prosecutors from conducting direct investigations. Regarding the Board of Audit and Inspection, President Lee has repeatedly stated that it should be transferred from the executive branch to the National Assembly.
Critics from opposition parties and civic groups have accused the president of attempting to weaken the prosecution and place the Board of Audit and Inspection under legislative control.
The absence of a direct mention of restructuring the power structure, often seen as a core issue in constitutional reform, has led to interpretations that President Lee may be avoiding potential political conflict by not addressing this topic directly. Constitutional provisions regarding term extensions do not apply to sitting presidents, but including such provisions in a reform could change the dynamics. During his campaign, President Lee stated that the public's perspective should be respected and that citizens would likely not accept additional benefits for a sitting president during a constitutional amendment.
President Lee urged the National Assembly to take the initiative in pursuing constitutional reform. Former President Moon Jae-in (문재인) submitted a constitutional amendment proposal to the National Assembly during his term, but it appears that President Lee does not plan to create a separate proposal. An official from the presidential office stated, "The president's vision for constitutional reform was already outlined during the campaign, so specific matters should be discussed and developed by the National Assembly."
Speaker Woo Won-sik also mentioned in his Constitution Day message that starting with minimal amendments rather than a comprehensive overhaul is essential. He anticipates that a special committee for constitutional amendments could be formed in the second half of this year. A National Assembly official noted that if the committee is established and discussions are focused, a national referendum could be possible during the local elections in June next year.
Political analysts suggest that rather than pursuing contentious power structure reforms, a 'point amendment' focusing on areas where there is some consensus, such as the inclusion of the May 18 Democratic Uprising in the constitution, is more likely. However, within the Democratic Party, there are calls for urgent action on issues like abolishing the exclusive right of prosecutors to request warrants as part of prosecutorial reform.
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