Nat'l Assembly unveils monument symbolizing its identity on 77th Constitution Day

Today that is July 17th is Constitution Day here in South Korea and in light of this occasion the National Assembly shared a monument and prepared a time capsule to be opened precisely one hundred years from today.

Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young reports.

"The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea The Last Bastion of Democracy" are the words engraved on a monument unveiled on Thursday on the front lawn of the National Assembly, marking the 77th anniversary of the first proclamation of the Constitution.

On the back, it commemorates the day the Assembly, with the people, blocked martial law troops, ending the decree's implementation, and reaffirming its commitment to protect the people and strengthen democracy.

"Beneath the monument lies a National Assembly time capsule, buried to mark the 77th Constitution Day. It contains items that reflect the spirit of the times and will be opened 100 years from now, on July 17, 2125."

The items include legislative and policy reports, notable bills, Dokdo-related publications, photos of the Assembly, a backup gavel, and messages from lawmakers and staff to future generations.

South Korea's constitution was promulgated in 1948 based on open democracy.

It was last revised in 1987 after decades of authoritarian rule.

To celebrate the anniversary, the National Assembly held a special ceremony on Thursday, where Speaker Woo Won-shik highlighted the power of the Constitution.

"This is the first Constitution Day since the December 3rd martial law declaration. In Korea, the people protect the Constitution, and the Constitution protects them. That's why the Constitution is powerful, and Korea is strong."

Woo also called for constitutional reform, saying this was needed to meet today's needs and to build a stronger democracy and improve people's lives.

He floated the idea of a constitutional referendum alongside the presidential election back in April in order to address calls for decentralization of power following the martial law declaration, but withdrew this after a backlash.

"We need to act before it's too late. Rather than a full reform, we should begin with small, gradual amendments that the National Assembly, government and people can all agree on."

Posting on Facebook, President Lee Jae Myung called for a discussion on constitutional reform and urged the National Assembly to lead the process, pledging to work alongside the legislature to reflect the will of the people.

Meanwhile, following several recently proposed bills to reinstate Constitution Day as a public holiday, attention is on whether it will become a national holiday again for the first time since 2007.

Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.