South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for a constitutional amendment to formally recognize the country’s historical pro-democracy movements. Speaking on Friday in Busan during the 47th anniversary ceremony of the 1979 Buma uprising, Lee urged the National Assembly to initiate discussions on constitutional reform. The Buma uprising, which began at Pusan National University, saw students and citizens in Busan and Masan protest against the authoritarian regime of then-President Park Chung-hee, marking a significant step in South Korea’s democratic journey.
President Lee emphasized the importance of including the Buma uprising and the May 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement in the Constitution’s preamble to honor those who fought for democracy. He described these protests as crucial milestones in the nation’s democratic development and highlighted subsequent movements like the June 1987 Democracy Movement and recent public demonstrations defending democratic institutions.
Lee called on lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties to engage in public consultations and pursue meaningful constitutional reform. He stressed the importance of ensuring that future generations do not have to sacrifice their lives to protect democratic freedoms. Lee has consistently supported revising South Korea’s Constitution, which was last amended in 1987, and has proposed broader reforms, including altering the presidential term structure.
In May, a constitutional amendment proposed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea failed to pass the National Assembly. Lee believes that recognizing the country’s democratic movements in the Constitution could create common ground for renewed discussions on constitutional reform. He paid tribute to the resilience of protesters who faced violent repression during the Buma uprising, underlining the necessity of preserving this historical legacy to reinforce the principle that political power must remain accountable to the people.
