[Editorial] Constitutional Amendment Is Not Highest Priority

Currently, there is a movement for constitutional amendment in politics. The main claim says, “Let’s change the current five-year appointment system of a president into a four-year reappointment system.” The five-year appointment system, which was selected in 1987, was selected according to the situation in those days to guard against long-term political power holding. After 10 years, however, it has been evaluated as a failed system. First of all, it deepens our political anxieties due to different terms of the president and congressmen, and increases political anxiety due to the early leakage of a president’s power. Constant elections, such as the presidential election, the general election and local elections, exhaust national power. Considering these aspects, the push for a four-year reappointment system is reasonable.

However, the question of if this is the appropriate time to discuss a constitutional amendment may not be. Once a debate on the constitutional amendment begins, it would spread into politics and society. This is because there are many debates that are accompanied by amendment of power structure. Despite its departure from its claim of a four-years reappointment system, it might suggest other claims, such as a parliamentary cabinet system.

As we see in history, it might postpone crucial pending questions. We have much to look out for, such as the livelihood of the people, the revival of business, nuclear weapons of North Korea, political reformation and unification of the people. We should deliberate calmly, if it is desirable to discuss constitutional amendments over these tasks, at the beginning of the new congress.

The year 2008 is the year that the terms of both the current president and the 17th congress will be up. It would not be late if we began to discuss a constitutional amendment in the latter half of 2006 or the opening half of 2007. Nevertheless, it is necessary that each political party prepares its position on a constitutional amendment and arouses people’s sympathy to consider a proper time to discuss this at the congressional level. Now, however, the constitutional amendment is not a matter of the highest priority.