Assembly speaker vows to reform 'outdated' Constitution with local election referendum
Published: 05 Feb. 2026, 15:44
Updated: 05 Feb. 2026, 19:41
-
- LEE SOO-JUNG
- [email protected]
![National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik speaks during a press conference held at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Feb. 5. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/a846a0ce-07d7-40b9-9144-f60605fe56bd.jpg)
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik speaks during a press conference held at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Feb. 5. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik on Thursday stressed that he would do his best to reform the "outdated" Constitution during the upcoming June 3 local elections with a special referendum, which he called a necessary measure to restore democracy and create a sustainable future for the nation.
During a New Year's press conference at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Woo said Korea’s current Constitution has “a number of loopholes” that allow the president to impose emergency martial law and succeed simply by preventing parliament from acting.
“Authority to approve an emergency martial law declaration should be given to the Assembly by amending Article 77 of the Constitution, which now only grants authority to lift the imposition. This led to the notion of arresting the speaker and besieging the Assembly.”
His remarks appear to be aimed at ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched attempt to impose martial law and detain so-called anti-Yoon politicians.
The speaker — who was reportedly targeted by martial law forces — also said that the conservative People Power Party (PPP) should cut ties with Yoon.
“If [Yoon’s martial law imposition had succeeded], I might have died,” the speaker said. “I, as a potential victim, could say that continuing ties between Yoon and the conservative People Power Party are extremely inappropriate.”
The speaker said the Assembly should have its own independent patrol and security officers to prevent a recurrence of what had happened on Dec. 3 two years ago.
![National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, left, presents an award to President Lee Jae Myung at the former presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Dec. 3, 2025. The award was made of wooden furniture, which was partially destroyed when troops entered parliament after martial law was imposed a year earlier. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/a6cc95ee-c4dd-4f54-800d-769fc207b0c6.jpg)
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, left, presents an award to President Lee Jae Myung at the former presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Dec. 3, 2025. The award was made of wooden furniture, which was partially destroyed when troops entered parliament after martial law was imposed a year earlier. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]
Addressing constitutional reform, Woo outlined a bigger picture encompassing contemporary problems facing Korean society.
“Constitutional reform should not be treated as a politically motivated move or a partisan approach,” Woo said. “The discussion should begin from practical and objective social issues on which society largely agrees.”
"Our Constitution was finalized in 1987 and now fails to reflect societal issues that have emerged during the last 39 years,” Woo said. “Now we face problems of a low birthrate, an aging population, climate change and population outflow in rural regions. However, today’s Constitution is not enough to tackle those problems.”
“Korea’s unipolar regional system — where infrastructure, population and resources are concentrated in the greater Seoul area — is problematic,” Woo said, labeling it the “most dangerous” problem jeopardizing the country's survival. The capital area accounts for 11.8 percent of the national landmass, while containing more than half of the population.
![National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik speaks to reporters during his New Year's press conference at the National Assembly on Feb. 5. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/4ac4437d-a86e-4eca-81a9-7e021ead4c8d.jpg)
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik speaks to reporters during his New Year's press conference at the National Assembly on Feb. 5. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The speaker noted that there appears to be support for constitutional reform across the political spectrum, referring to recent remarks from PPP chief Jang Dong-hyeok, who said the city of Sejong in the Chungcheong region should be the nation’s administrative capital.
To relocate or assign the title of “capital,” constitutional reform is necessary because the current document confers the designation explicitly on Seoul.
In order to hold a referendum on constitutional reform simultaneously with the June 3 local elections, the Referendum Act should be amended no later than the Lunar New Year holiday season, Woo said. The Referendum Act, which has not been updated since 1987, does not correspond with today's other election acts and conditions, such as the voting age requirement.
![People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, bottom, bows to National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik after ending his filibuster at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Dec. 23, 2025. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/10b178a6-127b-420b-85d0-4af2a5fa0c42.jpg)
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, bottom, bows to National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik after ending his filibuster at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Dec. 23, 2025. [YONHAP]
Regarding the recent series of bribery and corruption scandals involving lawmakers, Woo apologized for the Assembly’s failure to establish a special ethics committee to review lawmakers’ conduct.
“I have a heavy heart over the parties' failure to reach a consensus on the establishment of a committee by blaming a conflict of interest,” Woo said. “This renders the action of filling a complaint merely performative.”
When it comes to parliamentary immunity from arrest, he said lawmakers should not exploit the immunity for self-serving purposes.
“In the past, lawmakers needed the immunity to resist the tyranny of authoritarian government,” Woo said. “Now, the situation has changed. But I have not reached a conclusion on which is right.”
Woo, whose two-year tenure as parliamentary speaker is set to expire in late May, said his last calling is "to open a chapter of constitutional reform." Despite questions from reporters, he did not say much about his plan after stepping down as speaker.
BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)