South Korean presidential frontrunner proposes revising constitution on martial law

Seoul, South Korea - South Korea's left-wing presidential frontrunner Lee Jae-myung on Friday proposed amending the constitution to make it more difficult to impose martial law, aiming to prevent political crises like the one that erupted last year.

As candidates entered the final stretch before a snap presidential election on June 3, Lee and his Democratic Party urged South Koreans to turn out to vote to end the political turmoil that has gripped the country since ousted conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declaration in December.

"Our national prestige has fallen, but it (martial law) happens. We have to make that impossible systematically," Lee told a live-streaming talkshow on YouTube.

"Overcoming the insurrection (crisis) is a no-brainer. Without it, our country will collapse," Lee said, adding that economic growth and unity would be among his other top priorities.

Lee said he would seek to revise the constitution to strengthen martial law requirements, for instance by not allowing leaders to implement martial law without getting parliament's approval within 24 hours.

More South Koreans turned out for early voting on Friday after reaching record numbers on Thursday.

When early voting ended at 6 p.m. (0900 GMT) on Friday, 34.74% of eligible voters had voted, the second highest turnout to date.

Lee also said a special prosecutor should investigate the December 3 martial law incident to make sure those responsible were punished, although he called for leniency for those in the military who were reluctant to follow orders.

Yoon Yeo-jun, chair of the Democratic Party's election campaign, said that the vote would be an opportunity to set the country right so that the "Yoon Suk Yeol tragedy would never happen again."

Kim Moon-soo, Lee's rival candidate from the conservative People Power Party, said he would stop "legislative dictatorship" by Lee's Democratic Party, which holds a majority in parliament.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Stephen Coates and Giles Elgood)