Returning Today After Overseas Trip... "My Term Is Constitutionally Limited"

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung has spoken out on the issue of his presidential term for the first time since National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sic remarked that a constitutional amendment allowing a sitting president to seek consecutive terms is a matter of public opinion and choice. Amid ongoing suspicions raised by the conservative opposition regarding a potential push for consecutive terms, President Lee stated that his term is clearly limited by the Constitution.

Today's (September 10) leading report comes from Park Yerim.

[Reporter]

The day after concluding the South Korea-France summit with President Emmanuel Macron, President Lee Jae-myung met with Yael Braun-Pivet, President of the French National Assembly.

President Lee requested the support of the French parliament regarding the memorandums of understanding signed during the summit in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, culture, and security.

He also met with OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, urging attention from international agencies by noting that economic polarization within societies is even affecting unstable international situations such as recent wars.

President Lee wrapped up his 5-day, 3-night state visit to France and departed for South Korea.

The presidential office evaluated that this overseas trip served as an opportunity to strengthen security and economic cooperation with France and expand diplomacy toward Europe.

Returning this afternoon, President Lee will face a mountain of domestic issues.

Amid growing controversy surrounding Justice Minister Kim Seung-won and Gender Equality Minister nominee Yong Hye-in—whom he nominated on August 30 ahead of his trip to France—the opposition is repeatedly pressing for the withdrawal of their nominations.

The deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz and issues regarding investment in the United States, both pressed by Washington, are also pending matters that will soon require President Lee's decision.

Constitutional amendment, which the ruling bloc is preparing to push forward, is another major topic.

Earlier, during a meeting with South Korean residents in France, President Lee explained the high volume of overseas schedules at the beginning of his term by stating the following:

[President Lee Jae-myung : Anyway, my term is clearly limited by the Constitution.]

This is interpreted as a rebuttal to claims by the conservative opposition and others suggesting that President Lee intends to push for a constitutional amendment allowing consecutive terms.

(Camera: Yoon Hyung | Video Editing: Oh Young-taek)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.