S. Korea observes 70th Constitution Day amid calls for revision
- 6 years ago
South Korea is marking its 70th Constitution Day today.
To celebrate the occasion ourselves, we thought we'd take a look back at how South Korea's Constitution has been amended over the decades, and whether we will see a promised tenth amendment any time soon.
Kim Mok-yeon reports.
Seven decades ago today, South Korea formally adopted its first constitution.
It has been amended 9 times since then, with each revision reflecting the nation's footsteps towards democracy.
Past revisions focused on the nation's power structure.
In 1972, Korea's former president Park Chung-hee changed the constitution to allow indirect presidential elections, and in 1980, the constitution was revised to adopt a seven-year, single-term presidency under then-president Chun Doo-hwan.
But through the June Democratic Movement in 1987, the dictatorship came to an end and the constitution was once again revised -- to allow direct presidential elections and a five-year, single-term presidency.
"Since then, Korea has been observing the 9th revised version for the past 30 years. Its basic principles center on the sovereignty of the people, separation of powers, and the pursuit of peaceful unification of the two Koreas."
Lately, there have been calls for a tenth revision, and President Moon Jae-in had expressed hopes that the process could have been held alongside the local elections in June.
But opposition from numerous lawmakers meant the plan was scrapped.
"With the societal changes that have occurred over the past decades, such as the development of IT, and issues concerning low birthrate and an aging society, public demand for the revision has been strong, as many want to directly participate in creating a new constitution. "
In Korea, any constitutional revision requires the support of more than two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly before it can be put to a national referendum.
But according to experts,... with the current distribution of parliament...
prospects for a constitutional amendment in the near future don't seem too bright.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.
To celebrate the occasion ourselves, we thought we'd take a look back at how South Korea's Constitution has been amended over the decades, and whether we will see a promised tenth amendment any time soon.
Kim Mok-yeon reports.
Seven decades ago today, South Korea formally adopted its first constitution.
It has been amended 9 times since then, with each revision reflecting the nation's footsteps towards democracy.
Past revisions focused on the nation's power structure.
In 1972, Korea's former president Park Chung-hee changed the constitution to allow indirect presidential elections, and in 1980, the constitution was revised to adopt a seven-year, single-term presidency under then-president Chun Doo-hwan.
But through the June Democratic Movement in 1987, the dictatorship came to an end and the constitution was once again revised -- to allow direct presidential elections and a five-year, single-term presidency.
"Since then, Korea has been observing the 9th revised version for the past 30 years. Its basic principles center on the sovereignty of the people, separation of powers, and the pursuit of peaceful unification of the two Koreas."
Lately, there have been calls for a tenth revision, and President Moon Jae-in had expressed hopes that the process could have been held alongside the local elections in June.
But opposition from numerous lawmakers meant the plan was scrapped.
"With the societal changes that have occurred over the past decades, such as the development of IT, and issues concerning low birthrate and an aging society, public demand for the revision has been strong, as many want to directly participate in creating a new constitution. "
In Korea, any constitutional revision requires the support of more than two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly before it can be put to a national referendum.
But according to experts,... with the current distribution of parliament...
prospects for a constitutional amendment in the near future don't seem too bright.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.