A ruling party-led constitutional amendment bill failed to pass a parliamentary vote on May 7 after the main opposition party boycotted the session, falling short of the required quorum.
The National Assembly convened a plenary session at 2 p.m. on May 7, but only 178 lawmakers took part after People Power Party members boycotted the vote. This fell short of the 191 needed for quorum in the 286-seat occupied chamber.
The bill would require the president to seek immediate parliamentary approval for any martial law declaration. It would also nullify the declaration if the assembly rejects it or fails to approve it within 48 hours. The proposal further sought to add references to the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising and the 1979 Busan-Masan protests in the constitutional preamble.
The presidential office expressed disappointment and regret over the outcome. Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung urged opposition lawmakers to participate in the next plenary session scheduled for the following day.
