Constitutional amendment to be introduced on the 6th... “Signatures due today”

According to The Financial News, six parliamentary parties including the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), but excluding the People Power Party (PPP), plan to introduce a constitutional amendment bill on the 6th. The amendment is intended to be put to a national referendum to be held concurrently with the June local elections.
After a closed-door meeting of the party’s floor leadership on the 2nd, DPK floor spokesperson Geumju Moon told reporters that the party would finish collecting signatures from lawmakers who will join in introducing the amendment bill by the end of the day.
The proposed amendment would include the spirit of the Busan–Masan Uprising and the Gwangju Uprising in the preamble of the Constitution, and would also strengthen parliamentary control over the declaration of martial law.
To introduce a constitutional amendment, at least 148 lawmakers—more than half of the current 295 sitting members—must sign on. The DPK currently holds 160 seats, which would allow it to introduce the amendment on its own. However, in light of the grave significance of revising the Constitution, the DPK’s position is to work together with other parliamentary parties, including the Rebuilding Korea Party, in drafting the amendment.
Meanwhile, within the People Power Party (PPP), some lawmakers have broken with the party leadership’s opposition to the amendment. Cho Kyoung-tae and Kim Yong-tae have each publicly expressed support. If seven more PPP lawmakers defect in favor of the bill, the amendment would be able to clear the National Assembly.

gowell@fnnews.com Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter