South Korean lawmakers have abandoned efforts to vote on constitutional changes that would have restricted presidential powers to declare martial law, following sustained opposition from conservative legislators.
Parliamentary Speaker Woo Won-shik announced Friday that the proposed amendment would not advance to a full assembly vote after the conservative People Power Party conducted a filibuster to block the measure.
The legislation, backed by six political parties including the governing Democratic Party, would have mandated that presidents obtain legislative consent before implementing martial law. Under the proposed framework, any presidential martial law declaration would become void if parliament rejected it or failed to approve it within a 48-hour window.
The constitutional revision effort emerged following the political turmoil caused by conservative former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law order in late 2024, which sent shockwaves through the nation.
Beyond martial law restrictions, the amendment would have added language to the constitution’s introduction honoring the Gwangju uprising, a pivotal moment in South Korea’s democratic evolution. The May 18, 1980 civilian revolt against military dictator Chun Doo-hwan resulted in hundreds, potentially thousands, of deaths.
Constitutional modifications require support from a minimum of 191 members in the 286-seat legislature, according to Woo’s statement. An initial attempt to pass the amendment on Thursday collapsed when People Power Party members boycotted the proceedings, preventing the necessary quorum from being reached.
The presidential administration expressed disappointment over the amendment’s failure due to PPP resistance and called on lawmakers to resume constitutional reform discussions during the latter portion of their current term.
