The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy lashed out at President Park Geun-hye’s objection to starting discussions on constitutional change to introduce a two-term, four-year presidency, calling her remarks “inappropriate.”
During her presidential campaign in 2012, Park pledged to push for revision of the Constitution, a decades-old issue which could put an end to the country’s “imperialistic” presidential system.
Korea currently has a single-term, five-year presidency. The system has long been blamed for allowing presidents to accumulate too much power. Calls have been mounting for presidents to serve two four-year terms, as in the United States.
However, Park voiced concerns over the opposition’s move to seek constitutional change, saying that it was the “golden time” for the parliament to focus on bills aimed at stabilizing the people’s livelihood and the nation’s sluggish economy.
Her remarks immediately caused a stir among opposition politicians. Moon Hee-sang, the party’s interim leader, slammed Park, saying that a state reform is possible only when the nation seeks changes in its imperialistic presidency.
“It is very inappropriate for the president to voice opposition to a discussion of constitutional revision,” he said at a meeting. “It is natural for the parliament to discuss constitutional change,” he said.
Rep. Park Ji-won of the NPAD also criticized Park, saying she has abandoned her campaign pledges.
“I’m seeing a president who suddenly changes (her) attitude and abandons pledges after being elected,” he said. Rep. Park also stressed that the discussion of constitutional change needs to take place not in order to distribute but to efficiently collect state power. “The president has stressed the importance of state reform, but the genuine reform of a state begins with constitutional revision,” he said.
Members of the ruling Saenuri Party remained divided over the issue.
Lee Jae-oh, a five-term lawmaker of the conservative party, lashed out at President Park, saying that the government should not “intervene” in the issue.
Meanwhile, Rep. Kim Tae-ho, said the debate on constitutional change should start after the parliament completes the passage of bills to help the government revitalize the nation’s economy.
By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)
