Major parties still deadlocked on Constitutional revision
Arirang News
2018-04-20
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Despite the President's efforts to speed things up on amending South Korea's Constitution,... still-- no agreement made on the proposals.
Major political parties took the issue for a discussions once again Thursday,... but again,... they were at loggerheads.
Park Hee-jun has the latest from parliament.
Very little progress was made Thursday when the leaders of the four floor negotiation blocs... met to discuss the issue of Constitutional revision.
They agree that it needs to be done -- it's been 30 years since the last time the Constitution was changed -- but the main sticking point is how to reform the government structure.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea explained how President Moon Jae-in's proposal aims to decentralize power and expand individual rights.
But the Liberty Korea Party said... there's not a hint in his bill... of a shift in power away from the presidency.
"This bill would do nothing to redistribute power. Whether we pass it or we don't, the president would still have the authority to appoint the leaders of the main government institutions."
Meanwhile, a compromise was proposed by the minor opposition Bareun Mirae Party... the minor left-leaning Justice Party, and the Party for Democracy and Peace.
They said together they will draw up a joint proposal by the end of this month.
The Moon administration wants to put a Constitutional revision up for a vote alongside local elections on June 13th. But for that to happen, Parliament would need to change the National Referendum Act by April 23rd, next Monday.
As long as the main opposition Liberty Korea Party continues its boycott of the Assembly, however, such a change is unlikely to pass.
"I came today to urge the Liberty Korea Party to stop its boycott... and to cooperate with the other parties in quickly revising the act."
The ruling party faces many obstacles to get the Referendum Act changed,... but even if it does, there are plenty more challenges ahead before the Korean people have a Constitutional referendum to vote on.
Park Hee-jun, Airang News.
Major political parties took the issue for a discussions once again Thursday,... but again,... they were at loggerheads.
Park Hee-jun has the latest from parliament.
Very little progress was made Thursday when the leaders of the four floor negotiation blocs... met to discuss the issue of Constitutional revision.
They agree that it needs to be done -- it's been 30 years since the last time the Constitution was changed -- but the main sticking point is how to reform the government structure.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea explained how President Moon Jae-in's proposal aims to decentralize power and expand individual rights.
But the Liberty Korea Party said... there's not a hint in his bill... of a shift in power away from the presidency.
"This bill would do nothing to redistribute power. Whether we pass it or we don't, the president would still have the authority to appoint the leaders of the main government institutions."
Meanwhile, a compromise was proposed by the minor opposition Bareun Mirae Party... the minor left-leaning Justice Party, and the Party for Democracy and Peace.
They said together they will draw up a joint proposal by the end of this month.
The Moon administration wants to put a Constitutional revision up for a vote alongside local elections on June 13th. But for that to happen, Parliament would need to change the National Referendum Act by April 23rd, next Monday.
As long as the main opposition Liberty Korea Party continues its boycott of the Assembly, however, such a change is unlikely to pass.
"I came today to urge the Liberty Korea Party to stop its boycott... and to cooperate with the other parties in quickly revising the act."
The ruling party faces many obstacles to get the Referendum Act changed,... but even if it does, there are plenty more challenges ahead before the Korean people have a Constitutional referendum to vote on.
Park Hee-jun, Airang News.
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