The National Assembly Research Service (Chief: Koh Hyun-wook) held a joint symposium with the Judicial Policy Research Institute (President: Choi Song-hwa) and the Constitutional Research Institute (President: Kim Moon-hyun) at the National Assembly Members’ Office #1 Conference Hall on May 12, 2014.

The symposium dealt with the interpretation of unification provisions under the current Constitution, major issues of lawsuits regarding North Korea, and the future directions for the Constitution in a unified Korea. Discussions were based on the principle that the unification of the two Koreas shall follow firmly on the basis of democracy and constitutionalism.

The key address was delivered by Seoul National University professor emeritus Kim Chul-su, who is also the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Constitutional Amendment under the direct supervision of the Speaker of the National Assembly. The first, second and third sessions included presentations and discussion on ‘the interpretation of Article 4, the unification provision of the Constitution’, ‘issues and current state of lawsuits regarding North Korea’, and ‘main issues on the enactment of the Constitution of Korea after unification’.

This symposium with which the National Assembly Speaker, Kang Chang-hee, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Yang Seung-tae, and President of the Constitutional Court of Korea, Park Han-chul, participated was all the more meaningful as it was the first event jointly held by institutions of the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Constitutional Court. The three institutions will promote mutual exchanges, amicable ties and cooperation, and continue collaborative researches encompassing legislation and jurisdiction on major national issues.