The Democratic Party on May 7 again urged the People Power Party, which is maintaining a party line opposing a proposed constitutional amendment, to cooperate by taking part in a floor vote. The party also said that if a vote cannot be held at the plenary session because the People Power Party does not attend, it will move to convene another session soon and try again.
The Democratic Party made the request at a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on Thursday morning.
Floor leader Han Byung-do said, “The only party opposing a constitutional amendment that has built social consensus and is supported by a majority of the public is the People Power Party.” He warned that, as President Lee Jae-myung has said, those who oppose the amendment could be seen as “defenders of an illegal martial law.”
Addressing People Power Party lawmakers, Han said, “If you have even a shred of conscience and conviction, I hope you will participate in the vote.” He added that if the party “evades the historic responsibility of constitutional reform,” it will face “the people’s judgment.”
Cheon Jun-ho, senior deputy floor leader for parliamentary operations, said a vote is scheduled on an amendment aimed at enshrining the spirit of the May 18 movement in the Constitution. “The National Assembly should not be ashamed before the fallen and the bereaved,” he said, urging the People Power Party to enter the chamber and vote.
Cheon added that lawmakers should not “take away the public’s chance to choose the amendment directly,” and said that if they do, they cannot avoid criticism, as Lee has said, of being “defenders of an illegal martial law.” He urged them not to “commit another wrongdoing in history.”
After the meeting, Kim Han-kyu, senior deputy floor leader for policy, told reporters that because a constitutional amendment requires approval by two-thirds of lawmakers, it cannot pass without attendance. He said that if the vote is not established, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, who has the authority to convene and place items on the agenda, will set another plenary schedule.
Senior spokesperson Kang Jun-hyeon also said that if the People Power Party does not come to Thursday’s plenary session, the vote cannot proceed. He said he understands the floor leadership is pushing to hold another plenary session as early as Friday if the measure is rejected.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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