Introduction: When life feels empty, it's a good idea to read the Constitution.

specialty
The birth of the Constitution in 1948 and the 9th amendment in 1987

Chapter 1 General Provisions
The future of the Republic of Korea as envisioned by the Constitution

Chapter 2 Rights and Obligations of Citizens
Liberty, Equality, Justice

Chapter 3 National Assembly
The power of discussion and persuasion to agree on rules

Chapter 4 Government
Why Leadership and Communication Skills Are Important

Chapter 5 Courts
So that no one is wronged

Chapter 6 Constitutional Court
No law shall be contrary to the supreme law.

Chapter 7 Election Management
How to wisely elect the right representative

Chapter 8 Local Autonomy
Laying the foundation for local autonomy in Korea

Chapter 9 Economy
Why economic order is stipulated in the Constitution

Chapter 10 Constitutional Amendment
The Constitution cannot be changed arbitrarily.

Supplementary provisions
Even if the law changes, the world goes on

A dignified response to the question, “How should we live?”
Reading the Constitution reveals an intelligent and wise attitude toward life.

Professor Lee Hyo-won, a leading constitutional scholar in South Korea who spent 13 years as a prosecutor researching and planning legal systems and formulating policies in the legal profession and then taught law as a professor at Seoul National University, has published “Read the Constitution Once in Your Life.”
This book is a "Constitutional User Manual for My Life," which examines the 130 articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, from the preamble to the supplementary provisions, in depth and connects the legal meaning contained therein to the values ​​of life.
To date, countless books have been published that link law and society.
There were books that addressed social issues that arose from the changing times and emphasized the need for new laws, while others harshly criticized the loopholes in old laws by drawing attention to the gap between case law and reality.
However, this is the first book that breaks down each provision of the Constitution, explaining it in an easy-to-understand way for readers, and expanding upon it to discover a life attitude and philosophy.


At least once in my life, I wonder about the constitution that surrounds my life.
You can easily find the Constitution of the Republic of Korea by accessing the National Law Information Center on a portal site, but unless you are a law student, it is by no means easy to properly understand the meaning contained between the lines simply by reading the articles.
Moreover, the first article of the Constitution, the 'Preamble', contains a vast amount of content exceeding 300 characters in a single sentence, which can be overwhelming to first-time readers.
The author guides readers into the world of the Constitution by explaining the meaning and background of each provision in clear and concise language.
If you ponder the meaning and direction of each clause in daily life presented by the author, you will naturally obtain answers to the questions, “How should I live?” and “At the very least, what kind of person should I become?”


To you who find meaning in life even on the subway on your way to work
Here and Now, the Constitution's User Manual for Finding My Happiness

The author, after studying the Constitution for a long time, came to the conclusion that understanding the Constitution should not stop at 'Sophia', an abstract theory, but should develop into 'Phronesis', a concrete practical wisdom.
In other words, rather than interpreting the Constitution limited to the rule of law or norms, the proposal is to apply its meaning to daily life and use it as a guide for value judgment and direction setting.
For example, Article 16 of the Constitution deals with ‘freedom of residence.’
Rather than explaining the meaning and concept of the phrase, “All citizens shall not be deprived of their freedom of residence,” he goes a step further and says, “For an individual to freely choose and decide on their residence is like building their own castle.”
We all say that we become truly ourselves only when we are in our own intimate space, and just as a crowded subway car on the way to work can become our own personal space, we have the insight that the meaning of space can be created by ourselves, no matter where it is.


Article 64 of the Constitution deals with the internal discipline of the National Assembly. Here, too, the author does not simply explain the scope and effect of the discipline, but expands the scope of the concept of "autonomy."
“Autonomy is the right to regulate oneself according to one’s own rules without being governed by others,” he says, prompting readers to reflect on whether the decisions they believed they had made autonomously might have been the result of a hasty error of self-confidence.
The 'otherized decision' that unquestioningly accepts the values ​​of the world and the standards set by others reminds us that it is not true autonomy.


Additionally, Article 82 of the Constitution deals with the power of the Prime Minister and State Council members to counteract the President's acts.
The department refers to the Prime Minister and State Council members sharing responsibility for all of the President's legal acts and signing to control the procedures.
Here, too, we do not simply mention the department as a national institution, but also reflect on the meaning of records, writing, and reading.
I am impressed by the author's insight, who describes his reading method as "three readings" and likens it to "a screw that circles around in place but goes deeper" and thus becomes a different person through reading.
The structure of this book is such that even ordinary people can easily approach the Constitution, with the Constitutional provisions on one page and the author's writing on the next page.
If you read one article a day, the author's essays that draw meaning from each constitutional provision, you will naturally realize that the Constitution is not just a difficult and strict legal code, but a deeply realistic and valuable text that serves as a reference for our lives.


“The power that makes me who I am lies in the Constitution!”
"Rediscovering the Constitution": A Guide to Moving Forward

The greatest gift we can gain from reading the Constitution is the courage to move forward into tomorrow.
In the preface, the author states, “Just as everything can begin from nothing, I believe that through the Constitution, I and my country can be reborn anew.”
Sometimes, we may feel overwhelmed by the power we are given, and our lives may feel empty as we are consumed by the responsibilities we are given. However, just as we must hit rock bottom to start over, we can rediscover the meaning of life through the Constitution, the foundation of the Republic of Korea.
In particular, the article that the author, who has studied the Constitution for over 30 years, values ​​the most is Article 10.
This clause, which begins with “All citizens have dignity and worth as human beings and the right to pursue happiness,” is a core clause that guides the entire Constitution.


What is noteworthy here is that it is described as the “right to pursue happiness” rather than the “right to be happy.”
Why does the Constitution guarantee only the "right to pursue happiness" and not the "right to be happy"? This implies that if the state determines the nature of happiness and unilaterally guarantees it, it could actually make individuals unhappy.
Because happiness does not exist as an ideal that is the same for everyone.
What does your happiness look like? What are you doing now to find it? Every being is born with its own unique laws, and every moment changes, constantly renewing itself.
Just as the Constitution must change the historical present and create a new past through amendments and supplementary provisions, happiness will come quickly when we break free from the daily routine of yesterday and create a new tomorrow.