Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, left, and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo pay tribute to the 2.28 Democracy Movement Monument in Daegu, Friday. Yonhap

The issue of amending the Constitution to curb excessive presidential power has sparked intense debate among presidential hopefuls, with opinions sharply divided on whether it's needed.

Following President Yoon Suk Yeol's final impeachment hearing, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has begun emphasizing a constitutional amendment as a key part of its reform agenda.

With a snap election approaching in Korea, the PPP is seeking to distinguish itself from Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), who has remained largely silent on the issue.

According to a Realmeter poll of 1,506 eligible voters released Monday, Lee kept his place as the front-runner in a potential early election, garnering 46.3 percent support from potential voters.

The PPP's special committee on constitutional reform will hold its first meeting on Tuesday and begin working on amendments to the existing Constitution aimed at decentralizing presidential and parliamentary powers.

Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the PPP, also addressed the need to reform the current single, five-year term to limit the president's powers.

“The current Constitution, adopted in 1987, must change. People should not experience [DPK] Rep. Lee's 29 impeachment motions or the president's martial law imposition ever again,” Han told reporters Sunday. “Accomplishing this requires a willingness to make sacrifices on the part of those entrusted with important tasks.”

In an interview, Han said that if elected president, he would advocate for a constitutional amendment to introduce a four-year term with the possibility of reelection and would step down in 2028 to ensure that the next presidential and general elections coincide. He also said establishing a congress with two separate legislative chambers, similar to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, is essential.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also echoed the idea, suggesting that whoever is the next president should resign after three years in office so as to align the two elections (presidential and general). Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo expressed his support for the four-year term with reelection and a bicameral legislature but disagreed with the proposal to shorten the next presidential term to three years.

However, Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, who has emerged as a top presidential contender for the PPP, remained cautious about such reforms.

“If there is a problem, we should solve it step by step. We need to reconsider blaming everything on the Constitution after plunging the nation into chaos,” he said.

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), right, shakes hands with Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Dong-yeon at a restaurant in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

Some liberal heavyweights have also emphasized the importance of a constitutional amendment.

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum and Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Dong-yeon have endorsed constitutional reforms to decentralize the excessive power of the presidency.

Former South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kyung-soo suggested creating a framework for forming a coalition government and carrying out a two-stage process of constitutional reform, first during this year's presidential election and the second during next year's by-elections.

However, Lee said a constitutional amendment is not urgent, adding that he will focus on addressing the fallout from Yoon's brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.

“Although constitutional reform is unavoidable, this issue is like a black hole. Now is the time to focus on overcoming the Dec. 3 insurrection,” Lee said in a radio interview on Friday.