PPP's Kim pledges to cut number of lawmakers by 10%

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo on Thursday pledged to reduce the number of lawmakers by 10 percent, if elected, as part of his political reform plans.

Kim also vowed to push for a constitutional revision to replace the current single five-year presidential term with a four-year, two-term system to align it with parliamentary and local elections on a unified four-year cycle beginning in 2028.

To enable this transition, Kim said he would shorten his own term to three years if elected in the June 3 vote, which picks a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office over his failed martial law bid.

"I will become a president of the people, not an imperial president," Kim said in a press conference. "I will boldly relinquish the so-called imperial presidential powers."

Presidential candidates have called for revising the Constitution, last amended in 1987, to rein in the extensive presidential powers after months of political instability following Yoon's martial law debacle.

To ensure accountability, Kim promised to appoint a special inspector, recommended by the opposition, tasked with investigating allegations involving the president's family and close relatives -- a post that was left vacant by both former Presidents Moon Jae-in and Yoon.

He also announced plans to tighten the requirements for impeaching Cabinet members to prevent abuse of power by the legislature, and to introduce a new criminal offense of "obstruction of justice" to punish those who interfere with investigations or trials.

The pledge came as the Democratic Party introduced a series of controversial bills aimed at shielding its front-runner candidate Lee Jae-myung, who is on trial for multiple corruption and other cases.

Additionally, Kim proposed establishing an independent special oversight committee to monitor the National Election Commission in a bid to "ensure neutrality" and restore public trust in the electoral process. (Yonhap)