Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed his support for a phased approach to amending the Constitution, focusing on tightening the conditions for declaring martial law and incorporating the ethos of past pro-democracy movements. Lee's statements came during a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and leaders of opposition parties before his budget address at the parliament.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee had earlier instructed the Cabinet to explore a gradual constitutional revision, aligning with Woo's proposal to update the Constitution, which was last revised in 1987. Lee emphasized the importance of acknowledging the May 18, 1980 uprising in the Constitution's preamble and the need to tighten the prerequisites for martial law, suggesting that these areas would likely garner consensus.

Lee advocated for progressing with feasible amendments, even if limited, while recognizing the challenges of a comprehensive revision due to differing interests. He stressed the necessity of updating the Constitution to better reflect societal changes, labeling the current version as "too outdated."

In response to Lee's remarks, Speaker Woo announced the National Assembly's intention to submit a revision bill on Friday. Last week, the ruling Democratic Party and five minor parties agreed to pursue a referendum on the constitutional amendment alongside local elections set for June 3. However, the main opposition People Power Party did not participate in this move.

For a constitutional amendment to be proposed, a majority of lawmakers is required, and a two-thirds majority is necessary for its passage. The proposed amendment seeks to include the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju and the 1979 Busan-Masan protests in the Constitution's preamble. Currently, the document acknowledges the spirit of the April 19 revolution of 1960, which led to the overthrow of South Korea's first president, Rhee Syng-man, due to election fraud.

Additionally, the bill aims to strengthen the conditions for declaring martial law by requiring the president to secure parliamentary approval without delay. If the National Assembly rejects or fails to approve the declaration within 48 hours, the martial law would be automatically nullified.