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Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, delivers opening remarks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on April 7. / Photo by Lee Byung-hwa

As both ruling and opposition parties raise the issue of constitutional amendment first proposed by former President Yoon Suk-yeol before his impeachment, a heated debate is emerging in political circles.

In particular, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is openly rejecting National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik’s proposal to hold a simultaneous vote on the presidential election and constitutional amendment, insisting that such discussions should be postponed until after the presidential election.

However, as major presidential contenders voice support for the amendment, criticisms are mounting that “Lee Jae-myung is the only one opposing it.”

Even within the ruling bloc, there is growing support for Speaker Woo’s proposal.

According to political insiders on April 7, Speaker Woo held an emergency press conference the previous day and proposed a simultaneous vote on the presidential election and constitutional amendment. The proposal calls for a "one-point amendment" focused on restructuring the power system and revising the current five-year single-term presidency. Woo suggested putting the matter to a national referendum on June 3, the expected date of the presidential election.

However, Woo’s proposal met direct opposition from Lee Jae-myung. Citing the need to "end the insurrection" as a priority, Lee argued that constitutional revision should be addressed only after the election. During a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on April 7, Lee said, “While developing democracy is important, at this moment, it is far more urgent and vital to prevent its destruction. Constitutional reform is necessary, but ending the insurrection must come first.”

In response, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon, a prominent opposition presidential hopeful, expressed agreement with Speaker Woo’s proposal via Facebook, stating, “This early presidential election is a turning point in deciding whether we move toward a new Republic of Korea.”

Another potential candidate from the opposition, former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyung-soo, while sympathizing with Lee’s call to “end the insurrection,” still supported the need for constitutional amendment. “Ending the insurrection and pursuing constitutional reform are not contradictory. Constitutional amendment is the foundational path to achieving complete resolution,” Kim emphasized.

Calls for constitutional reform are growing not only among the opposition but also within the ruling camp. Kwon Young-se, interim leader of the People Power Party’s emergency leadership committee, said during a committee meeting, “When a massive opposition party controls legislation, budgeting, and personnel affairs, national paralysis and worsening public livelihood become inevitable.” He added, “The recent impeachment crisis has heightened public demand for political reform. We will pursue constitutional amendment through a national referendum on election day.”

Hong Joon-pyo, mayor of Daegu and a ruling party presidential contender, also stressed the need for constitutional reform to eliminate what he described as the Constitutional Court’s bias, especially following the impeachment crisis.

In a Facebook post, Hong wrote, “Let’s abolish the Constitutional Court, which has become a symbol of political strife and division, and instead add four more Supreme Court justices to create a constitutional division within the Supreme Court. The top priority in the amendment should be dismantling the Constitutional Court, which has turned into a symbol of partisan conflict.”