National Conference for Unification

The National Conference for Unification (Korean통일주체국민회의) was an organization of indirect democracy established in accordance with the Constitution when the 4th Republic was launched with the Yushin Constitution on October 17, 1972. The most important function was to promote independent peaceful reunification policies, which were the core of the Yushin Constitution, and indirect presidential elections during the 4th Republic From August 1973, the NCU was decided as National Assembly. The National Assembly was composed of delegates directly elected by the people from each district across the country, and the delegates of the National Assembly for Unification were unofficially called Tongdae.

National Conference for Unification
통일주체국민회의
Commission overview
FormedDecember 23, 1972
DissolvedOctober 27, 1980
Superseding Commission
JurisdictionRepublic of Korea
Commission executives
  • Park Chung Hee (December 23, 1972 ~ October 26, 1979) , President
  • Kwak Sang-hoon (January 29, 1973) ~ February 12, 1980) , Chairman of the Steering Committee
National Conference for Unification
Hangul
통일주체국민회의
Hanja
Revised RomanizationTongil Juche Gungmin Hoeui
McCune–ReischauerT'ongil Chuch'e Kungmin Hoeŭi

Overview

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According to Chapter 3 of the Yushin Constitution of the Republic of Korea at the time, the National Assembly for Reunification was the top institution of the state and a sovereignly entrusted institution, a place where the people's consensus to promote the peaceful unification of the country was gathered. Therefore, the representatives of this institution with a term of office of 6 years are elected by direct election by the people, and the president is elected and one-third of the total number of members of the National Assembly (Yoo Shin-Jeong-Woo Association) is elected after being recommended by the president, and has the function of finalizing the amendment to the Constitution of the National Assembly and deliberating the unification policy.

Ahead of the ninth presidential election, the New Democratic Party proposed an amendment to the Representative Election Act of the National Council of Unification Subjects, which is the U.S. presidential elector election method in which the political party nominates a presidential candidate and the delegate candidates running for the representative election select the presidential candidate they support and hold an election.

In effect, this institution, which served as the flag bearer of President Park Chung Hee, took on the role of formally electing the successor presidents Choi Kyu-ha and Chun Doo-hwan after he was assassinated on October 26, 1979. After that, the agency in charge of the Presidential Election System was replaced by the Presidential Electoral College, and its role as an organization related to the secretariat, personnel composition, and unification under the direct control of the President continued through the 'Peace and Unification Policy Advisory Council' and then the Democratic and Peaceful Unification Advisory Council.

References

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Further reading

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  • Kim, Yong-uk (2004). "제14장 제4, 제5공화국의 권위주의체제: 유신체제, 5.17에서 6월 민주항쟁까지(1972~1987)". 한국 정치론: 조선 왕조 에서 대한 민국 까지 체제 변동 과정 (in Korean). Seoul: Oreum. ISBN 8977782171.