The Constitution We Protected
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Description
Book Introduction
A must-read for all citizens of the Republic of Korea: the constitution.
“We created the Constitution, and the Constitution protected us!”
On the night of December 3, 2024, the Constitution protected us.
That day we realized.
The Constitution is not a distant code of laws, but a promise to be kept here and now.
"The Constitution We Protected" is an educational book that unravels the history of the constitution over a century in everyday language, from those who first created the constitution in 1919 when the country was lost, to the citizens who defended the constitution on the streets in 1987.
This book shows how we became the masters of a democratic republic.
In addition, the original texts from the Provisional Charter to the current Constitution were included as is, along with modern language commentary to aid readers' understanding, so that 'reading' the text of the Constitution itself becomes a profound experience.
The Constitution is not far away.
When we check our hourly wages at part-time jobs, when we criticize the news, when our children go to school? The Constitution is with us at every moment of our lives.
This is a record of the promises we have kept, a must-read for all citizens of the Republic of Korea.
“We created the Constitution, and the Constitution protected us!”
On the night of December 3, 2024, the Constitution protected us.
That day we realized.
The Constitution is not a distant code of laws, but a promise to be kept here and now.
"The Constitution We Protected" is an educational book that unravels the history of the constitution over a century in everyday language, from those who first created the constitution in 1919 when the country was lost, to the citizens who defended the constitution on the streets in 1987.
This book shows how we became the masters of a democratic republic.
In addition, the original texts from the Provisional Charter to the current Constitution were included as is, along with modern language commentary to aid readers' understanding, so that 'reading' the text of the Constitution itself becomes a profound experience.
The Constitution is not far away.
When we check our hourly wages at part-time jobs, when we criticize the news, when our children go to school? The Constitution is with us at every moment of our lives.
This is a record of the promises we have kept, a must-read for all citizens of the Republic of Korea.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Prologue: The Constitution is the Language of Promises
Part 1: The Roots of the Constitution - A Promise Written First in an Era of No Nation
01.
The Constitution is with us
02.
In an era without a nation, creating a constitution begins with
03.
Declaring equality and freedom first
04.
Provisions that survive a hundred years
Part 2: The Path of the Constitution - From Enactment to Amendment
01.
The morning of liberation, the establishment of the Constitution
02.
A continued spirit, a changed appearance
03.
A Constitution Reborn on the Streets
04.
Nine Constitutional Amendments: Who Changed the Constitution?
The Language of the Constitution - The Values We Must Uphold
01.
Sovereignty resides with the people
02.
All citizens are equal
03.
Freedom to speak differently
04.
The right to live like a human being
05.
Three promises that sustain today
Part 4: Putting the Constitution into Practice - The Rights We Create Today
01.
The Constitution in Everyday Life
02.
The moment you realize your rights
03.
Citizens Rewriting the Constitution
04.
Small actions make big changes
Part 5: Reading the Constitution Directly
01.
The 1919 Provisional Constitution of the Republic of Korea - The first sentence that speaks of equality
02.
1919 Provisional Constitution of the Republic of Korea - the first constitution that established the framework of power
03.
1948 Constitution - A Constitution Written in the Name of the Nation
04.
The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of Korea - A Living Constitution
Epilogue: We Didn't Write the Constitution, But We Are Right by It
Part 1: The Roots of the Constitution - A Promise Written First in an Era of No Nation
01.
The Constitution is with us
02.
In an era without a nation, creating a constitution begins with
03.
Declaring equality and freedom first
04.
Provisions that survive a hundred years
Part 2: The Path of the Constitution - From Enactment to Amendment
01.
The morning of liberation, the establishment of the Constitution
02.
A continued spirit, a changed appearance
03.
A Constitution Reborn on the Streets
04.
Nine Constitutional Amendments: Who Changed the Constitution?
The Language of the Constitution - The Values We Must Uphold
01.
Sovereignty resides with the people
02.
All citizens are equal
03.
Freedom to speak differently
04.
The right to live like a human being
05.
Three promises that sustain today
Part 4: Putting the Constitution into Practice - The Rights We Create Today
01.
The Constitution in Everyday Life
02.
The moment you realize your rights
03.
Citizens Rewriting the Constitution
04.
Small actions make big changes
Part 5: Reading the Constitution Directly
01.
The 1919 Provisional Constitution of the Republic of Korea - The first sentence that speaks of equality
02.
1919 Provisional Constitution of the Republic of Korea - the first constitution that established the framework of power
03.
1948 Constitution - A Constitution Written in the Name of the Nation
04.
The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of Korea - A Living Constitution
Epilogue: We Didn't Write the Constitution, But We Are Right by It
Detailed image
Into the book
It is still surprising that a constitution was established in a time when there was no country.
But they had a clear belief.
“There must be a constitution for there to be a country.”
--- p.17~18
Rereading the Constitution today means capturing its spirit in today's language.
--- p.25
On July 17, 1948, the Republic of Korea enacted its first constitution.
The Constitution was not simply a work of organizing the legal system; it was a declaration and pledge revealing the kind of country we wanted to create.
--- p.29
The origin of our Constitution was the answer to the question, “How shall we live together?”
--- p.33
The 1987 Constitution asks us:
“Who makes the constitution?” The answer is clear.
It is a constitution created by citizens on the streets, not by politicians or lawyers.
--- p.42~43
The declaration that “the people are the masters” is a phrase that has supported our society for a hundred years.
--- p.55~56
Everyone should be able to eat, wear clothes, rest, get treatment when they are sick, learn, and work.
The Constitution clearly declares this not as a wish, but as a right that the state must guarantee.
A 'human life' does not mean the minimum for survival, but rather the conditions for living with dignity and humanity.
--- p.67~68
The Constitution is not an abstract sentence in a distant law code.
On the way to school, a conversation with a friend, a part-time job, the waiting room in front of the hospital…
In all those places, the Constitution is already quietly taking its place.
--- p.78
Upholding the Constitution may mean 'speaking on behalf of' someone's rights, but more fundamentally, it means 'changing the way we live together.'
--- p.90
The "Provisional Charter of the Republic of Korea" was more than a simple declaration of independence; it was the first constitutional promise to address the question, "What kind of nation should we create?"
--- p.97
The provisional constitution became the root of the legal system that led to the Constitution of 1948, and the principles of ‘democratic republic, sovereignty of the people, and separation of powers’ that today’s constitution embodies were already established at this time.
--- p.107
The 1987 Constitution was not written on a lawyer's desk, but was written with the voices of citizens shouting in the square.
--- p.141
The Constitution is a promise for today that we must read, remember, and live by.
But they had a clear belief.
“There must be a constitution for there to be a country.”
--- p.17~18
Rereading the Constitution today means capturing its spirit in today's language.
--- p.25
On July 17, 1948, the Republic of Korea enacted its first constitution.
The Constitution was not simply a work of organizing the legal system; it was a declaration and pledge revealing the kind of country we wanted to create.
--- p.29
The origin of our Constitution was the answer to the question, “How shall we live together?”
--- p.33
The 1987 Constitution asks us:
“Who makes the constitution?” The answer is clear.
It is a constitution created by citizens on the streets, not by politicians or lawyers.
--- p.42~43
The declaration that “the people are the masters” is a phrase that has supported our society for a hundred years.
--- p.55~56
Everyone should be able to eat, wear clothes, rest, get treatment when they are sick, learn, and work.
The Constitution clearly declares this not as a wish, but as a right that the state must guarantee.
A 'human life' does not mean the minimum for survival, but rather the conditions for living with dignity and humanity.
--- p.67~68
The Constitution is not an abstract sentence in a distant law code.
On the way to school, a conversation with a friend, a part-time job, the waiting room in front of the hospital…
In all those places, the Constitution is already quietly taking its place.
--- p.78
Upholding the Constitution may mean 'speaking on behalf of' someone's rights, but more fundamentally, it means 'changing the way we live together.'
--- p.90
The "Provisional Charter of the Republic of Korea" was more than a simple declaration of independence; it was the first constitutional promise to address the question, "What kind of nation should we create?"
--- p.97
The provisional constitution became the root of the legal system that led to the Constitution of 1948, and the principles of ‘democratic republic, sovereignty of the people, and separation of powers’ that today’s constitution embodies were already established at this time.
--- p.107
The 1987 Constitution was not written on a lawyer's desk, but was written with the voices of citizens shouting in the square.
--- p.141
The Constitution is a promise for today that we must read, remember, and live by.
--- p.182
Publisher's Review
"Reading the Constitution as a Promise, Not as a Law"
This is not a book to learn the Constitution with your head, but a story of someone who reads it again with their heart.
December 3, 2024.
We realized firsthand why the Constitution is important.
This book remembers that moment and shows how we created and protected the Constitution from 1919 to the present.
The Constitution is not a grand code of laws.
It is a daily promise to protect our freedom, rights, and a humane life.
The author unravels difficult and rigid legal texts through concrete stories from our own experiences.
Reading this book is not just about gaining knowledge, it is about regaining your power as a citizen.
What did we realize on the night the Constitution protected us?
On the night of December 3, 2024, the people of South Korea held their breath as they watched the breaking news.
Martial law declared.
It was an unprecedented situation that no one expected.
But that night we witnessed another fact.
That the Constitution worked properly.
Members of the National Assembly rushed to the National Assembly to demand the lifting of martial law, citizens took to the streets, and the illegal exercise of power was stopped in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Constitution.
At that moment, many people asked.
“What on earth is the Constitution that makes it so important?” “The Constitution We Protected” is a book that answers that very question.
The people who first created the constitution in 1919, when the country was lost.
The most significant feature of this book is that it traces the origins of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea from the Provisional Charter of 1919, not 1948.
Many people know the Constitution as the beginning of our constitution, but 30 years earlier, the Shanghai Provisional Government had already declared a democratic republic.
“The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic.
“All people of the Republic of Korea are equal.” The first thing they did in a time when they had not yet achieved independence or a nation was to write a constitution.
The rights we take for granted today, such as freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of residence and movement, and the right to vote and be elected, were already clearly engraved in the constitution at that time.
The author follows this remarkable history, showing how our Constitution was forged over a long period of time with the blood and sweat of the people.
Reading the Constitution in everyday language, not as a legal code
Another great strength of this book is its 'ease' and 'liveability'.
While books on the Constitution are usually commentaries for legal scholars or experts, "The Constitution We Protected" connects the Constitution to our daily lives.
ㆍWhen checking hourly wages while working part-time - Article 32 of the Constitution, 'Right to Work'
When criticizing the news - Article 21 of the Constitution, "Freedom of Expression"
When a child goes to school - Article 31 of the Constitution, "Right to Education"
The Constitution is never far away.
Furthermore, the book is notable for its meticulous composition, including tables, diagrams, and comparative data to aid understanding, and a table comparing the 1919 Provisional Constitution with the current Constitution and a timeline of constitutional amendments.
A bridge connecting history, present, and future
The book is largely divided into five parts.
Part 1 examines the birth of the Provisional Government's Constitution, Part 2 examines the history from the first Constitution to the 1987 amendment, Part 3 examines the basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and Part 4 examines how those rights function in everyday life.
In the final five parts, we read the original texts of the Provisional Charter and Provisional Constitution of 1919, the Constitution of 1948, and the current Constitution of 1987 to help you reflect on their meaning.
Part 3 and 4 in particular are the core of this book.
It vividly demonstrates that the Constitution is not just a document from the past, but a living promise that protects our rights today.
The author says:
“The Constitution is always with us.” That statement is not mere rhetoric; it is a reality we experience every day.
The Constitution is a promise we keep together.
The preamble to the Constitution concludes thus:
“We pledge to secure for ourselves and our posterity the safety, liberty and happiness of all who hold this office…” This pledge is not a statement of the past, but a promise we must continue to uphold today.
"The Constitution We Protected" is a first introduction to the Constitution for young people, a book that helps citizens regain their "sense of the Constitution" and rethink democracy, and a record of the promises we have kept, a must-read for all citizens of the Republic of Korea.
On December 3, 2024, the Constitution protected us.
Now it is our turn to read the Constitution.
The promise that began with human rights in 1919 led to today's democracy.
This book is a book that rereads the heart that has not changed for a hundred years.
This is not a book to learn the Constitution with your head, but a story of someone who reads it again with their heart.
December 3, 2024.
We realized firsthand why the Constitution is important.
This book remembers that moment and shows how we created and protected the Constitution from 1919 to the present.
The Constitution is not a grand code of laws.
It is a daily promise to protect our freedom, rights, and a humane life.
The author unravels difficult and rigid legal texts through concrete stories from our own experiences.
Reading this book is not just about gaining knowledge, it is about regaining your power as a citizen.
What did we realize on the night the Constitution protected us?
On the night of December 3, 2024, the people of South Korea held their breath as they watched the breaking news.
Martial law declared.
It was an unprecedented situation that no one expected.
But that night we witnessed another fact.
That the Constitution worked properly.
Members of the National Assembly rushed to the National Assembly to demand the lifting of martial law, citizens took to the streets, and the illegal exercise of power was stopped in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Constitution.
At that moment, many people asked.
“What on earth is the Constitution that makes it so important?” “The Constitution We Protected” is a book that answers that very question.
The people who first created the constitution in 1919, when the country was lost.
The most significant feature of this book is that it traces the origins of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea from the Provisional Charter of 1919, not 1948.
Many people know the Constitution as the beginning of our constitution, but 30 years earlier, the Shanghai Provisional Government had already declared a democratic republic.
“The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic.
“All people of the Republic of Korea are equal.” The first thing they did in a time when they had not yet achieved independence or a nation was to write a constitution.
The rights we take for granted today, such as freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of residence and movement, and the right to vote and be elected, were already clearly engraved in the constitution at that time.
The author follows this remarkable history, showing how our Constitution was forged over a long period of time with the blood and sweat of the people.
Reading the Constitution in everyday language, not as a legal code
Another great strength of this book is its 'ease' and 'liveability'.
While books on the Constitution are usually commentaries for legal scholars or experts, "The Constitution We Protected" connects the Constitution to our daily lives.
ㆍWhen checking hourly wages while working part-time - Article 32 of the Constitution, 'Right to Work'
When criticizing the news - Article 21 of the Constitution, "Freedom of Expression"
When a child goes to school - Article 31 of the Constitution, "Right to Education"
The Constitution is never far away.
Furthermore, the book is notable for its meticulous composition, including tables, diagrams, and comparative data to aid understanding, and a table comparing the 1919 Provisional Constitution with the current Constitution and a timeline of constitutional amendments.
A bridge connecting history, present, and future
The book is largely divided into five parts.
Part 1 examines the birth of the Provisional Government's Constitution, Part 2 examines the history from the first Constitution to the 1987 amendment, Part 3 examines the basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and Part 4 examines how those rights function in everyday life.
In the final five parts, we read the original texts of the Provisional Charter and Provisional Constitution of 1919, the Constitution of 1948, and the current Constitution of 1987 to help you reflect on their meaning.
Part 3 and 4 in particular are the core of this book.
It vividly demonstrates that the Constitution is not just a document from the past, but a living promise that protects our rights today.
The author says:
“The Constitution is always with us.” That statement is not mere rhetoric; it is a reality we experience every day.
The Constitution is a promise we keep together.
The preamble to the Constitution concludes thus:
“We pledge to secure for ourselves and our posterity the safety, liberty and happiness of all who hold this office…” This pledge is not a statement of the past, but a promise we must continue to uphold today.
"The Constitution We Protected" is a first introduction to the Constitution for young people, a book that helps citizens regain their "sense of the Constitution" and rethink democracy, and a record of the promises we have kept, a must-read for all citizens of the Republic of Korea.
On December 3, 2024, the Constitution protected us.
Now it is our turn to read the Constitution.
The promise that began with human rights in 1919 led to today's democracy.
This book is a book that rereads the heart that has not changed for a hundred years.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: November 20, 2025
- Page count, weight, size: 184 pages | 210g | 128*188*12mm
- ISBN13: 9788961095693
- ISBN10: 8961095692
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