Kim Jae-won refuses to include record of spirit of Gwangju Uprising in Constitution

Kim Jae-won, a member of the People Power Party’s supreme council, said including a record of the spirit of the Gwangju Uprising in the Constitution is not possible. While South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol proposed it as one of his pledges before the presidential election, the leader of the ruling party is openly refusing it.

According to a political source on Monday, Kim attended a united service in Gwanghwamun led by Jeon Kwang-hoon, head pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, on Sunday and said that the supreme council member opposed including a record on the spirit of Gwangju Uprising in the Constitution when asked by Jeon.

“We rooted for elder Kim Gi-hyeon during a recent party convention. But we were met with a cold response. Including a record of the spirit of the Gwangju Uprising is not going to earn votes in Jeolla Province. It is simply lip service,” said Jeon. “There is a Korean saying that politicians would even sell their ancestors’ graves to gain votes,” said Kim. During the 2022 presidential election campaign, People Power Party leader Kim Gi-hyeon said that the party members’ opinions should be collected regarding the inclusion of the spirit of Gwangju Uprising in the Constitution and that he had a plan for through review.

“It is my personal opinion. There is currently no move to amend the Constitution. I was saying that constitutional amendment is impossible at the moment as it is being said that as if the amendment would happen any time,” Kim Jae-won said regarding the context of his comment on Sunday to reporters at the National Assembly on Monday morning.

However, his comment caused quite a stir. Lee Yong-ho, a member of the People Power Party whose constituencies include Namwon, Imsil, and Sunchang in North Jeolla Province, said that it was wrong of the party leader to make a casual comment by citing a derogatory saying regarding a pledge carefully considered and announced by the president even if it was his personal opinion. “Kim may find it easy to deal with as his constituencies are in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. But I hope he keeps in mind that there are members of the party who are struggling and working hard in challenging regions, such as Jeolla Province and Seoul and nearby areas.”


9dragon@donga.com