
The People Power Party on Sunday proposed constitutional reform as a pathway for a breakthrough to address the political turbulence triggered by the unprecedented arrest of sitting President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law declaration.
The ruling party on Sunday proposed revising the Constitution, attributing the recent insurrection to systemic flaws in South Korea’s existing imperial presidential system that concentrates excessive power in a single individual.
Kwon Young-se, interim chair of the People Power Party, announced plans to establish a special committee on constitutional reform during a press conference following an emergency meeting at the National Assembly. The meeting took place just hours after the unprecedented arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier in the day.
“There are inherent problems with the current presidential system, which has led to most presidents facing unfortunate outcomes after completing their terms,” Kwon said.
"This is not merely a problem with individual presidents, but a flaw in the system itself. We have long advocated for amending the system before holding the next presidential election."
Kwon emphasized, "Constitutional reform is necessary to break this vicious cycle. I believe it is time to move beyond the 40-year-old 1987 system. We need to consider how to reform it in a way that prevents the recurrence of such unfortunate events."
Kwon urged opposition parties to join the effort for constitutional reform, noting that while the National Assembly speaker has shown support, opposition lawmakers appear less enthusiastic.
Kwon’s proposal for constitutional reform is expected to ignite debate over its timing and political implications. Although the need for decentralizing presidential power has been a consistent issue, opinions are likely to diverge on the notion that Yoon’s insurrection charges are rooted in systemic flaws.
With the restructuring of power dynamics at the heart of the constitutional reform debate, securing agreement from potential presidential candidates remains essential.
While the stances of major candidates have yet to be divulged, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the ruling party called for a constitutional revision to curb excessive power concentration in the presidency.
On Facebook, Oh criticized Yoon’s botched martial law declaration as “reckless,” saying it left the nation in “despondency and devastation.”
Oh also criticized the main opposition party for wielding its power to help its leader, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, survive multiple legal battles by leveraging its majority in the Assembly.
“Thus, we must start anew. The national governance system must be completely overhauled to minimize the risks of chaos caused by leadership vulnerabilities,” Oh continued, urging the main opposition party to join the movement to revise the Constitution.
The main opposition party expressed support for the court's decision, describing it as vital for restoring constitutional order. However, the Democratic Party has largely refrained from directly commenting on Yoon's arrest, as its leader also faces a bevy of legal hurdles to clear.
In a statement released to the press on Sunday, Rep. Kim Sung-hoi, spokesperson of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, said, “The court’s decision reflects common sense and is justified, given Yoon’s role as the mastermind of an attempted insurrection was witnessed by the entire Korean public in real time.”
Kim urged the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials to thoroughly conduct its investigation to ensure Yoon faces the appropriate punishment, adding, “It’s time for the CIO to heed the people’s call for the restoration of constitutional order.”
Similarly, the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party and Progressive Party called for a comprehensive investigation into Yoon, describing his arrest as a critical step toward restoring constitutional order and addressing public discontent.
The People Power Party expressed regret over Yoon's arrest, calling for the same standard to be applied to Lee Jae-myung.
The party's Floor Leader Kweon Seong-dong remarked, "In the past, the court rejected an arrest warrant for Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, citing that his position as the leader of the main opposition party did not justify concluding he might destroy evidence.
"How will the court explain issuing an arrest warrant for a sitting president who is effectively under house arrest with his duties suspended?"
Rep. Kwon Young-se added, "Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, should also be detained if the charges are confirmed to ensure legal fairness."