Newly elected Floor Leader of the ruling People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong said Friday he asked National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik to kick off parliamentary discourse to amend the Constitution of South Korea.

Kweon told reporters after his meeting with Woo on Friday morning that he suggested the speaker take the lead in the discourse to amend the Constitution. South Korea last amended the Constitution in 1987 in the wake of its transition to democracy.

"Now is the right time to amend the Constitution," said the five-term lawmaker, who identified himself as a pro-Yoon Suk Yeol figure as he was elected as the new floor leader on Thursday.

An amendment requires years of effort, including at least 200 votes in favor at the 300-member National Assembly, followed by a majority of votes in a national referendum, among other measures. The ruling party holds 108 parliamentary seats.

Kweon also asked Woo not to be inclined to opposition parties in his future decisions, saying that the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea has pushed legislative proceedings without bipartisan agreement.

On reports of Yoon preparing a nomination for the defense minister post that have sparked criticism of him continuing state management despite his pledge to entrust that power to the prime minister and ruling party, Kweon defended the president, saying it is "inappropriate to leave the void in the leadership to handle affairs related to the national security unaddressed for a long time."

This was in response to a news report that retired Army general and Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Choi Byung-hyuk had turned down Yoon's nomination to succeed Kim Yong-hyun, who is currently being detained for his alleged role in insurrection. Rep. Han Ki-ho of the ruling party was reportedly an alternative, following Choi's decision to decline the nomination.

Earlier Thursday, Kweon said his party's stance to nullify any motion to impeach Yoon has remained unchanged, contrary to party leader Han Dong-hoon's remarks on the same day that Yoon deserves to be impeached. It would take at least eight out of the 108 ruling party lawmakers voting in favor of Yoon's impeachment for the motion to pass the parliament.