Cheong Wa Dae: "Constitutional Amendment to Extend Incumbent President's Term Impossible and Unrealistic"

Amid political controversy sparked by National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik's remark that "a constitutional amendment for consecutive terms for an incumbent president is a matter of public choice," Cheong Wa Dae emphasized that President Lee Jae-myung also views a term-extending constitutional amendment as impossible.

Appearing on SBS News Briefing today (July 29), Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations Sung Ki-hong stated, "A constitutional amendment extending the term of the incumbent president is legally impossible and unrealistic under the current constitutional provisions," adding, "Would the public accept that? I do not think so."

Secretary Sung further noted that President Lee Jae-myung had already addressed the issue during his presidential campaign, stating, "He made it clear that 'if a constitutional amendment is carried out under the current Constitution, the revised provisions will not apply to the president in office at the time the amendment is proposed.'"

He went on to emphasize, "Article 128, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution is a historical consensus that we must uphold, and that provision embodies the will of the people," adding, "I hope this issue will no longer spread into unnecessary controversy."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.