By James R. Lint
Faculty Member, School of Business, American Military University
Contributor, In Homeland Security
South Korean President Geun-hye Park seeks to change the South Korean constitution and the length of time the president serves in office. Her goal is to make this change before February 2018, the end of her term in office. The last time the Korean constitution was modified was in 1987.
Park has proposed changing the current five-year single term of the office of the president to something similar to the U.S. Constitution. Currently, the U.S. president serves a four-year term with one opportunity for re-election.
According to The Korea Times, Park said that her country’s constitution no longer seems to fit Korean society. “The single, five-year presidential term under the Constitution, which has been in force for the last three decades since its last amendment in 1987, might be suited for the past democratization period, but it has now become clothes that no longer fit our body,” she said.
Confrontational Korean Politics Blocks Economic Progress
Park believes that current politics are highly confrontational, causing the government problems in pursuing consistent and sustainable policy actions. She believes the incendiary nature of Korean politics could dim Korea’s future, because economic leaders have difficulty creating stable business initiatives due to the change of government every five years.
Both the ruling party and the opposition parties agree that distributing the president’s power is good for South Korea. Much of the governmental power focuses primarily on the Office of the President. This delegation of power may be part of the future negotiations for constitutional changes.
Political activities in South Korea are caused by budget deliberations, which the National Assembly is due to conclude on December 2. This is the first time the Korean government has had a proposed budget more than the 400 trillion-won ($353.3 billion U.S.) level. President Park’s goal for the national budget is to lead other nations versus following other nations.
Challenges Ahead for South Korea and Its Government
Some political battles may occur during the Korean National Assembly’s 40 days of budget deliberations. Political parties could also try to analyze and posture how best to modify the constitution for their benefit.
The ruling party and opposition will experience turmoil and questions. Any scandals involving politicians will come out of the closet and be used against all parties. Be prepared to see increased information that could taint the careers of current and future politicians.
Another big question in South Korean politics will be the future of the retiring UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who steps down on December 31, making him available to assume the post should he win the presidential election.
About the Author
James R. Lint recently retired as the (GG-15) civilian director for intelligence and security, G2, U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command. He is an adjunct professor at AMU. Additionally, James started the Lint Center for National Security Studies, a nonprofit charity that recently awarded its 43rd scholarship for national security students and professionals. He has 38 years of experience in military intelligence within the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, contractor and civil service.
James was also elected as the 2015 national vice president for the Military Intelligence Corps Association. In 2016, he was accepted as a member of the Military Writers Guild. He has served in the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis and at the Department of Energy’s S&S Security Office. James had an active military career in the Marine Corps for seven years and also served 14 years in the Army. His military assignments include South Korea, Germany and Cuba in addition to numerous CONUS locations. James has authored a book published in 2013, “Leadership and Management Lessons Learned,” and a new book in 2016 “8 Eyes on Korea, A Travel Perspective of Seoul, Korea.”
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