Photo : YONHAP News
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and the floor leaders of six parties have agreed to push for a constitutional amendment that would make it harder to declare martial law, in the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Movement and the Buma Democratic Uprising.
Woo discussed the matter with floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party, as well as those from the Rebuilding Korea Party, the Basic Income Party, the Progressive Party, the Reform Party and the Social Democratic Party, during a meeting on Thursday. The main opposition People Power Party did not take part.
Following the meeting, Woo’s chief of staff, Cho Oh-Seop, told reporters that participants had agreed to push for the bipartisan constitutional amendment.
Woo said during the meeting that a public opinion survey had confirmed an overwhelming consensus on strengthening emergency martial law requirements, specifying balanced regional development, and reflecting the spirit of May 18 within the constitution.
Party floor leaders agreed to seek a constitutional amendment on April 7 and scheduled a second meeting for March 30.