The chief of South Korea’s main opposition party on Wednesday criticized the presidential office for its alleged interference in a possible constitutional revision.
Moon Hee-sang, interim leader of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, said the presidential official should not give a guideline to the parliament over a constitutional revision.
“The issue of a constitutional revision is a general trend,” Moon said in a meeting with reporters marking one month after taking the helm of the party, noting about 230 out of the 300-member parliament support a constitutional revision.
The current Constitution empowers the president and the parliament to propose a constitutional revision.
Moon’s comments came a day after a senior presidential official lashed out at Kim Moo-sung, chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, over his recent remarks seen as challenging the president’s authority over a possible constitutional revision.
On Thursday, Kim said during his visit to China that he expects an “outpouring” of political debate on a possible revision of the Constitution when the ongoing regular session of the National Assembly ends in December.
His remarks stirred up a political storm as they came only days after President Park Geun-hye expressed clear opposition to the idea of a constitutional debate at a time when the parliament should focus on reviving the slumping economy.
A day after, Kim quickly offered an apology over his remarks, saying he made a mistake.
Still, a senior presidential official said Tuesday he did not believe that the ruling party chief simply made a slip of the tongue.
The Constitutional revision is a sensitive issue that could change the power structure in South Korea, where power is concentrated heavily in the president.
Park’s single five-year term ends in early 2018, and by law, she cannot seek re-election.
South Korea introduced the single-term presidency in 1987 after decades of autocratic rule by military-backed presidents. The system was primarily aimed at keeping the president from attempting to hold on to power through illicit means.
Park’s late father, former President Park Chung-hee, held the nation’s top post for almost 19 years through constitutional revisions that enabled him to seek a third term. His rule ended in 1979 when he was assassinated by his intelligence chief. (Yonhap)
