South Korea's Blue House urges parliament to revise National Referendum Act

청와대 국회에 조속한 국민투표법 개정 촉구... 지방선거, 개헌투표 함께 한다

South Korea's presidential office has urged lawmakers to swiftly act on revising the National Referendum Act which was ruled unconstitutional back in 2014.
It would be the first step to enabling a public vote on a constitutional amendment.
Our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung reports. Taking last resort.
With South Korea's political parties stuck in second gear with absolutely no progress in advacing forward with the nation's constitutional amendment agenda... the presidential Blue House has taken a last resort: going public with its call on the legislature to, at least, swiftly revise the National Referendum Act, the first step to enabling a public vote on a constitutional amendment.

"As we near the opening of the parliament's April extraordinary session, I've come forward today to request the National Assembly to swiftly revise the National Referendum Act."

South Korea is seeking to amend the Constitution, which was last revised more than 30 years ago... and put the revision bill up for a public vote during the June 13th local elections.

However, Seoul's National Assembly has been stuck on the process with the rival parties' lengthy standoff over the proposed constitutional change as well as over the law on national referendums.

The country's law on national referendum was ruled unconstitutional in 2014 for putting a limit on the voting rights of overseas Koreans with the court's recommendation for a revision bill.

The political parties missed the 2015 deadline to revise the act... leaving the law null and void since 2016... which means even if they do agree on a constitutional revision bill, the people will not be able to vote on it.

"Leaving the national referendum law as unconstitutional is itself an act of challenge to the people's constitutional right and a serious damage to direct democracy guaranteed by our Constitution."

Making note of the president's constitutional revision bill submitted to parliament last month, President Moon's Chief of Staff reiterated the Blue House stance that it is ready to draw back the bill once the political parties come up with a single bill of their own.

That bill needs to pass the unicameral legislature to be put to a national vote on June 13th concurrently with the local elections.

But, no constitutional amendment could be put up for public vote unless the national referendum act is revised.

"The parliament's decision to revise the national referendum law will confirm its intent and sincerity on amending the Constitution."

Moon Connyoung, Arirang News, the Blue House."

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