South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party on Wednesday decided to push to revise the Constitution before the presidential election.

During a general meeting of its lawmakers, the conservative party decided to seek a shift to a new government system in which the president handles diplomacy and security while a prime minister named by parliament is responsible for domestic affairs. 

It marks the first time that a party has adopted a pre-election constitutional amendment as an official line. 

President Park Geun-hye was impeached by parliament in December over a corruption scandal. 

If the Constitutional Court upholds the decision, South Korea will have to pick a new leader within two months.

The scandal has revived the debate on redressing the Constitution, which has long been criticized for granting excessive powers to the president.

Moon Jae-in, a leading potential candidate from the main opposition Democratic Party, has claimed the revision should be made after the election. (Yonhap)