South Koreans eye constitutional change to president's power after martial law

26/5/2025 12:09

South Korea's political crisis has ignited bipartisan calls for constitutional amendments to reshape the power of the president, an issue hotly debated ahead of the June 3 snap election.



The election was called after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office over his shock martial law decree in December, and contenders from the major parties have vowed to pursue constitutional reforms.



Chae Jin-won, a professor at Kyunghee University's Institute of Public Governance, said, "Chances to succeed in a constitutional amendment are higher than ever."



The constitution was last revised in 1987 to introduce direct presidential elections and a single, five-year term. Changes have long been debated but never implemented.