South Korea parliament drops constitutional amendment vote tied to martial law

South Korea's parliamentary speaker Woo Won-shik ​said on Friday that a bill ​to amend the constitution to ‌tighten rules ​on martial law would not proceed to a plenary vote after a filibuster by the opposition conservative People Power ‌Party (PPP). * Six political parties, including the ruling Democratic Party, proposed the bill, which would require the president to seek approval from parliament when declaring martial law, according to a draft ‌posted on the National Assembly's website.

* The move came after South Korea ‌was rocked by conservative former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law in late 2024. * The draft specifies that if parliament votes against imposing martial law, or fails to approve it ⁠within 48 ​hours, the effectiveness of ⁠a president's unilateral declaration of martial law would be nullified immediately.

* The bill would also amend the ⁠constitution to include in its preamble a reference to a key moment in South Korea's transition ​to democracy - the Gwangju uprising. Hundreds, and possibly thousands, are believed to have ⁠been killed when citizens rose up against military dictator Chun Doo-hwan on May 18, 1980. * Amending the ⁠constitution ​requires the consent of at least 191 lawmakers in the 286-member assembly, Woo said.

* An earlier vote on the amendment failed on Thursday after the PPP ⁠boycotted the session, leaving it short of the quorum needed. * South Korea's presidential office expressed ⁠regret that the ⁠constitutional amendment bill failed due to the PPP's opposition and urged parliament to continue discussions on constitutional revision in the second half ‌of its ‌term.

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