SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - With South Korea heading to the polls on Jun. 3 for a snap presidential election, constitutional reform has emerged as a key dividing line between the two leading candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party. Both agree the Constitution needs to change, but their proposals reflect fundamentally different priorities and political philosophies.
The snap election was triggered by the impeachment and removal of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law on Dec. 3 last year. Yoon cited threats from “North Korean communist forces” and “anti-state elements” to justify his actions, including the deployment of troops to block the National Assembly and restrictions on civil liberties. The Constitutional Court ruled on Apr. 4 that Yoon had abused his power and violated the Constitution, ending his presidency and setting the stage for the upcoming vote.
Through a social media post on May 18, Lee Jae-myung said that he supports a four-year presidency, paired with reforms aimed at reinforcing democratic checks and balances. He stressed that any amendment would not apply to the sitting president. “Under our Constitution, amendments do not apply to the president in office at the time of the revision,” he said.
Under current law, South Korean presidents serve a single five-year term. Civic groups have long pushed for a two-term system, arguing that one term is too short to carry out long-term policy agendas.
But Lee maintains that the focus should not be on extending presidential power. “Now is not the time to debate term limits,” he said during a press event on Sunday. “What we need are clear safeguards that make it impossible for a president to abuse power like Yoon Suk Yeol did, whether through martial law or violating civil rights.”
Lee also expressed regret over missing the opportunity to advance reform during the current election cycle, pointing to delays in revising the national referendum law. “We missed the moment,” he said. “But now is the time for each candidate to clearly present their constitutional reform plans so the next president can act quickly to begin discussions and prepare the groundwork for the ‘Seventh Republic.’”
Kim Moon-soo, a former labor minister and the PPP nominee, is calling for more radical change. In a written statement released the same day, Kim proposed shortening the next president’s term to three years to synchronize presidential and parliamentary elections. “To make bold political reform possible, I propose reducing the term of the president elected in this race to three years,” he said.
Kim supports moving to a four-year two-term presidency as well, but his plan goes further. He is calling for the abolition of presidential immunity, the elimination of legal protections for lawmakers, and the introduction of a public recall system for National Assembly members. He also emphasized the need for politically neutral appointments to the judiciary.
While Kim welcomed Lee’s overall support for reform, he voiced skepticism about Lee’s intentions. “He must clarify whether the phrase ‘two-term presidency’ includes the possibility of long-term rule,” Kim said. “And given his past flip-flopping on constitutional reform, it’s time to put it in writing. I propose we sign a formal agreement on the reforms immediately.”
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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