PPP floor leader urges constitutional reforms to reduce power of presidency, legislature
Published: 11 Feb. 2025, 17:10
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- MICHAEL LEE
- [email protected]
![People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong speaks at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Feb. 11. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/11/89f3ba99-40cf-4845-b17f-b0210d30dc25.jpg)
People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong speaks at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Feb. 11. [NEWS1]
The floor leader of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday called for constitutional reform to reduce the powers of both the presidency and the National Assembly to reduce political conflict.
In a speech at the National Assembly, Rep. Kweon Seong-dong said he felt “certain that the fundamental solution to our current political crisis is amending the Constitution” to redistribute powers currently vested in the president and reduce “abuses of authority” by the National Assembly.
Kweon called for the abolition of seats in the legislature that are currently filled by party-list proportional representation and changes to laws that govern how parliamentary constituencies are drawn up.
He also said that presidential, parliamentary and local government elections should take place on the same date to reduce the potential for clashes between the different branches of government.
The last presidential election took place in March 2022, followed three months later by local government elections.
The latest general election took place in April last year and saw the liberal Democratic Party (DP) increase its majority in the National Assembly.
Kweon further apologized for the political chaos unleashed by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law in December, saying the PPP “feels a deep sense of responsibility as the ruling party” for the “great national crisis that has ensued with the president’s impeachment, arrest and indictment.”
However, the PPP floor leader blamed the DP as “the main culprit and provocateur of the current confusion in state affairs” and characterized the rival party as “wreaking political chaos for the sole purpose of protecting DP leader Lee Jae-myung.”
The PPP and conservative pundits have argued that DP uses its legislative majority to shield Lee from criminal prosecution.
![Democratic Party leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung, left, laughs as he listens to People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong's speech at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Feb. 11. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/11/dfa4916a-01b5-49a2-bbe7-6ff5d143225e.jpg)
Democratic Party leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung, left, laughs as he listens to People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong's speech at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Feb. 11. [NEWS1]
If the Constitutional Court rules to uphold Yoon’s impeachment, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.
According to Kweon, the DP leader “is suddenly emphasizing the importance of the Korea-U.S. alliance” as “part of an electoral strategy” to win over moderate voters.
The PPP floor leader said the DP leader and his party should stop trying to pass controversial legislation and focus on enacting bills that enjoy bipartisan support “if they are serious about changing their policy line.”
Kweon also demanded that the DP cooperate with the PPP in passing a supplementary budget, which he said should “focus on stimulating the economy, supporting vulnerable groups and boosting trade competitiveness,” especially in the field of AI.
He argued the extra budget should not include controversial items, such as local currency vouchers that have been pushed by the DP under Lee.
Kweon further called on the National Assembly to pass a special bill that exempts the semiconductor industry from following the country’s 52-hour weekly work limit.
BY MICHAEL LEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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