On the 19th, Yoon Yeo-joon, chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea's central election committee, commented on the constitutional amendment pledge proposed by Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, which centers on 'shortening the presidential term,' stating that the 'constitutional amendment claim without a public apology is a shallow maneuver to escape an unfavorable electoral situation.'
During a central election committee meeting held at the party's headquarters that morning, Yoon noted, 'If candidate Kim wishes to discuss constitutional amendments, he must first kneel and apologize to history and the people for the 12.3 uprising, which sought to undermine the spirit of the constitution and the constitutional order.'
He continued, 'At the forefront of that apology should be former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who mentioned liberal democracy without a single public apology upon leaving the party, and candidate Kim, who likened the Constitutional Court's unanimous impeachment ruling to the dictatorship of Kim Jong-un. It's truly shameless.'
Yoon stated, 'What qualification does a person have to speak of constitutional amendments and mention liberal democracy who conspired to commit insurrection with an illegal martial law and compared the Constitutional Court's impeachment ruling against its leader to the dictatorship of Kim Jong-un? We cannot move toward the future or usher in the era of the Seventh Republic without firmly judging these challenges to liberal democracy in this election.'
He asserted, 'I firmly demand that former President Yoon and candidate Kim do not disrespect liberal democracy,' adding that 'the liberal democracy espoused by the two is not one based on the spirit of the constitution, but rather a restoration of authoritarian regimes through force, as revealed by the 12.3 uprising. This election must rid us of the shadows of anti-freedom, anti-democratic, and anti-constitutional forces.'
Earlier, on the 18th, candidate Kim proposed a constitutional amendment for a four-year presidential term limit. His plan includes reform measures for the National Assembly, such as abolishing the presidential non-prosecution privilege and the immunity privileges of members of the National Assembly.
On the same day, candidate Lee also announced a constitutional amendment plan that included the 'four-year presidential term system.' Specifically, he proposed a system for the Prime Minister to be nominated by the National Assembly, a ban on exercising veto rights regarding corruption and crime related to the presidency, strengthening National Assembly control over the declaration of martial law, and abolishing the monopoly on the right to claim warrants.