South Korea's government issues constitutional amendment notice

On the 6th, the government deliberated and approved the public notice draft of the "Amendment to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea" at the Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jaemyung at the Blue House. The government explained that the amendment "includes Koreanizing the official name of the Constitution, specifying the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising and the 5·18 Democratization Movement in the preamble, introducing the National Assembly’s approval authority over martial law, strengthening the National Assembly’s right to demand the lifting of martial law into a right to lift martial law, and stipulating the government's obligation to address regional disparities and promote balanced national development." [ . . . ] The next step is a parliamentary vote. The plenary session of the National Assembly will convene on May 4, and at least 197 votes—two-thirds of the 295 members—are required. This means at least 10 opposition party members would need to break ranks. If the constitutional amendment passes the National Assembly, it will be put to a national referendum during the local elections in June.
Read the full article here: The Asia Business Daily