Chun to Allow S. Korean Reforms; Opposition Wants 1,600 Freed

President Chun Doo Hwan said Tuesday that he is willing to permit revision of South Korea’s authoritarian constitution, and “the sooner, the better,” but he drew the line at any further compromise with the opposition.

Opposition leaders said that Chun did not go far enough. They said they will refuse to join the ruling Democratic Justice Party in setting up a special legislative committee to revise the constitution unless Chun agrees to release 1,600 political prisoners.

Leaders of the Democratic Justice Party and the opposition New Korea Democratic Party announced agreement last week on forming such a committee at a special session of the National Assembly scheduled to be convened Thursday.

Some May Be Released

Still, both sides indicated that Chun, before the assembly session closes on June 24, will announce a schedule for the release of at least some of the prisoners.

Chun conferred Tuesday with Lee Min Woo, president of the New Korea Democratic Party. According to a senior government official who asked not to be further identified, Chun told Lee that the time has come for the opposition party “to dissociate itself from pro-Communist and left-leaning radicals” who have been carrying out violent anti-American, anti-Chun demonstrations.

The official said Chun expressed concern about “suspicions among the people that the New Korea Democratic Party is linked with pro-Communist, radical, leftist groups.” He said Chun demanded that Lee’s party make clear whether it is a conservative party or a leftist party. By this, the official said, Chun meant whether the opposition party is willing to work for democratic reforms within the framework of law and order.

No Release for Minister

Chun’s attack on the opposition party was toned down somewhat in an official description of the meeting provided by Chung Koo Ho, the president’s press secretary. Chung quoted Chun as telling Lee that “changes in the constitution should be agreed upon through dialogue and debate between political parties in the National Assembly.”

He said Chun promised only a limited release of prisoners and ruled out specifically the only prisoner Lee mentioned by name, the Rev. Moon Ik Hwan, 68, who was arrested last month on charges of inciting unrest among students.

Moon, who heads a dissident group called the United Masses Movement for Democracy and Unification, is being investigated on suspicion of planning violent street demonstrations in the western port city of Inchon on May 3. On three previous occasions, Moon was arrested and freed under special government dispensation.

Direct Vote Demanded

Lee told Chun that the New Korea Democratic Party will insist on revising the constitution to provide for the direct popular election of a president to succeed Chun when he steps down on March 2, 1988, as required by the present constitution.

South Korea has not had a free and open election for president since 1971, when Kim Dae Jung won 46% of the votes as the candidate running against President Park Chung Hee, who was assassinated in 1979. Kim is now one of the behind-the-scenes leaders of the New Korea Democratic Party, along with Kim Young Sam. In 1980, Chun banned both of them from taking part in political activity.

Lee asked Chun again Tuesday to restore Kim Dae Jung’s civil rights, but Chun refused. In March of last year, Chun freed the two Kims from the ban on political activity, but Kim Dae Jung still has hanging over his head a suspended 20-year prison sentence for sedition.

According to Chung, the presidential spokesman, Chun told Lee that if the ruling party and the opposition party can agree on revisions to the constitution, “the sooner they are carried out, the better.”

Two-Thirds Approval

The constitution specifies that two-thirds of the National Assembly must approve any amendments, which then must be put to a popular referendum. Of the 276 seats in the assembly, the ruling party holds only 151, or 54.7%.

Lee and the two Kims, who are not related, told reporters after Tuesday’s meeting that President Chun, in order to prove that he is sincere about constitutional reform, must release prisoners held for advocating democracy.

“Releasing the prisoners detained or arrested for calling for democracy is the way for you to manifest your full commitment to constitutional reform,” Lee said he told Chun. “If the nation achieves democracy, those who are released will not act contrary to the will of the people.”

The three opposition leaders say that more than 1,600 people have been jailed for opposing Chun’s government and advocating democracy. The human rights committee of the Korea National Council of Churches puts the number at 1,105.