National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik says he no longer believes it is possible to hold a national referendum on constitutional change at the same time as the presidential election, as he had proposed Sunday. 

Woo revealed his change of heart via social media on Wednesday, saying he would like to discuss the matter based on bipartisan support after the presidential race.

The speaker said the Democratic Party, the Rebuilding Korea Party and the Jinbo Party have stressed the need to normalize state affairs before holding such discussions. 

He said if the constitutional amendments that the People Power Party wants to pursue focus on limiting the powers of the National Assembly, it will be virtually impossible for them to gain bipartisan support.

Accusing acting President Han Duck-soo of disregarding parliament and disrupting state affairs by nominating two new Constitutional Court justices, Woo said it is difficult to discuss constitutional amendments under the circumstances. 

On Tuesday, Woo had denounced Han for nominating the justices, saying the authority to appoint Constitutional Court justices belongs exclusively to the president.