"I regret not having built barriers to prevent the illegal martial law that I thought would never happen again, which occurred recently."
This statement was made by Woo Won-sik, the former National Assembly Speaker, as he left office about a month ago. It expressed disappointment over the failure to process the constitutional amendment in the National Assembly. Last month, the Assembly presented a constitutional amendment proposal, but the vote was declared invalid due to a lack of participating lawmakers. The following day, Woo attempted to bring the amendment to a vote in a special session, but the People Power Party requested a filibuster on all bills, leading to the withdrawal of the proposal. Consequently, the simultaneous conduct of the local elections and the national referendum on the constitutional amendment did not materialize.
The People Power Party's opposition, branding the amendment as a means for President Lee Jae-myung to extend his term, was a significant factor in the failure of the referendum. The Democratic Party also bears responsibility for the hasty push before the local elections and the failure of political compromise. Critics from civil society have pointed out that the focus should have been on controlling the authority to declare a state of emergency before addressing governance structure changes, which ironically failed to garner public support.
With the local elections now concluded, both ruling and opposition parties must establish a special committee for constitutional reform. While the composition of the National Assembly in the second half of the year is important, the procedures for discussing constitutional amendments must not be neglected. Newly elected National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik emphasized the necessity of a constitutional amendment to realize popular sovereignty and create effective accountable governance.
However, more urgent than constitutional reform is the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the Election Commission. During the recent local elections, voters experienced instances where ballots were insufficient at some polling stations, preventing them from voting on time, and some were unable to cast their votes at all. Imagining having to endure such situations is incredibly frustrating. The recent series of events stemming from the Election Commission has confirmed that the shocking 'sokuri voting' incident during the 2022 presidential election was not merely a mistake.
In response, the government and the National Assembly must utilize all means to rectify the poorly managed Election Commission. First, the National Assembly's special investigative committee should thoroughly uncover the truth to eliminate any lingering doubts. A joint investigation team from law enforcement must conduct a rigorous investigation to ensure that those responsible face appropriate penalties. There are also opinions suggesting that the state should compensate voters who were unable to vote due to insufficient ballots. It may be necessary to amend relevant laws, such as the Public Election Act and the Election Commission Act, and consider the 'one-point constitutional amendment' mentioned by the President. The voices of citizens gathering near the Olympic Park handball stadium, which was used as a counting center, blaming the inadequate ballot management must also be heeded.
However, I oppose the calls to abolish early voting that have emerged during discussions on Election Commission reform. The early voting system, introduced during the Park Geun-hye administration in 2013, has played a crucial role in increasing voter turnout and supporting our democracy. Attempts to eliminate this positive function that matures our politics are merely aimed at making it more difficult to exercise voting rights. Such absurd proposals from the political sphere could incite public outrage, drawing citizens to even larger venues than those near the handball stadium. Nonetheless, I believe the proposal from the Election Commission's union to conduct in-person voting over two days could serve as a sufficient alternative. In conclusion, any attempts to regress voting rights opportunities within the current voting system must not be tolerated.
Moving forward, constitutional reform must be achieved. The reform of the Election Commission must be conducted rigorously. The utility of early voting must not be compromised.
This statement was made by Woo Won-sik, the former National Assembly Speaker, as he left office about a month ago. It expressed disappointment over the failure to process the constitutional amendment in the National Assembly. Last month, the Assembly presented a constitutional amendment proposal, but the vote was declared invalid due to a lack of participating lawmakers. The following day, Woo attempted to bring the amendment to a vote in a special session, but the People Power Party requested a filibuster on all bills, leading to the withdrawal of the proposal. Consequently, the simultaneous conduct of the local elections and the national referendum on the constitutional amendment did not materialize.
The People Power Party's opposition, branding the amendment as a means for President Lee Jae-myung to extend his term, was a significant factor in the failure of the referendum. The Democratic Party also bears responsibility for the hasty push before the local elections and the failure of political compromise. Critics from civil society have pointed out that the focus should have been on controlling the authority to declare a state of emergency before addressing governance structure changes, which ironically failed to garner public support.
With the local elections now concluded, both ruling and opposition parties must establish a special committee for constitutional reform. While the composition of the National Assembly in the second half of the year is important, the procedures for discussing constitutional amendments must not be neglected. Newly elected National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik emphasized the necessity of a constitutional amendment to realize popular sovereignty and create effective accountable governance.
However, more urgent than constitutional reform is the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the Election Commission. During the recent local elections, voters experienced instances where ballots were insufficient at some polling stations, preventing them from voting on time, and some were unable to cast their votes at all. Imagining having to endure such situations is incredibly frustrating. The recent series of events stemming from the Election Commission has confirmed that the shocking 'sokuri voting' incident during the 2022 presidential election was not merely a mistake.
In response, the government and the National Assembly must utilize all means to rectify the poorly managed Election Commission. First, the National Assembly's special investigative committee should thoroughly uncover the truth to eliminate any lingering doubts. A joint investigation team from law enforcement must conduct a rigorous investigation to ensure that those responsible face appropriate penalties. There are also opinions suggesting that the state should compensate voters who were unable to vote due to insufficient ballots. It may be necessary to amend relevant laws, such as the Public Election Act and the Election Commission Act, and consider the 'one-point constitutional amendment' mentioned by the President. The voices of citizens gathering near the Olympic Park handball stadium, which was used as a counting center, blaming the inadequate ballot management must also be heeded.
However, I oppose the calls to abolish early voting that have emerged during discussions on Election Commission reform. The early voting system, introduced during the Park Geun-hye administration in 2013, has played a crucial role in increasing voter turnout and supporting our democracy. Attempts to eliminate this positive function that matures our politics are merely aimed at making it more difficult to exercise voting rights. Such absurd proposals from the political sphere could incite public outrage, drawing citizens to even larger venues than those near the handball stadium. Nonetheless, I believe the proposal from the Election Commission's union to conduct in-person voting over two days could serve as a sufficient alternative. In conclusion, any attempts to regress voting rights opportunities within the current voting system must not be tolerated.
Moving forward, constitutional reform must be achieved. The reform of the Election Commission must be conducted rigorously. The utility of early voting must not be compromised.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.