| National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo delivers a congratulatory address marking Constitution Day during a parliamentary ceremony held at the National Assembly on Seoul's Yeouido, Sunday, in this pool photo. Yonhap |
National Assembly speaker Kim Jin-pyo on Sunday proposed pushing for a constitutional revision in an effort to disperse power heavily concentrated in the president and to promote national unity.
Kim made the proposal in an address marking Constitution Day, reigniting the long-debated issue of constitutional revision just two months after President Yoon Suk-yeol began his single, five-year term.
"Our society has had numerous discussions for a constitutional revision. As there is broad public consensus, it is time to act," Kim said in an address to parliament on the 74th anniversary of Constitution Day.
The speaker said South Korea needs "a bigger plate" to accommodate high expectations of the people and deal with emerging challenges, such as the low birthrate, aging society and inequality, and overcome the political divide.
"We have to push for the dispersion of power and cooperation," Kim said. "We should make a country where cooperative power operates the nation, not depending on the leadership of a superior individual."
Kim said the parliament will form an expert advisory body to review the timing, scheme and scope of the revision, and asked ruling and opposition parties to form a special committee to discuss revising the Constitution.
He also called for bipartisan efforts to complete the formation of parliamentary committees to promptly handle pressing issues related to people's livelihoods.
Past attempts to revise the 1987 Constitution, which limited the presidency to a single five-year term, have failed due to political power split between a powerful presidency and a fractious parliament.
In South Korea, the president or parliament can propose a constitutional amendment, which must be approved by a two-thirds majority in the assembly and then by a majority in a national referendum in which more than half of eligible voters participate. (Yonhap)