Controversy Grows Over 'Public Choice'… Opposition Urges: "Declare You Won't Seek Re-election"

[Anchor]

The controversy over a constitutional amendment allowing the incumbent president to serve consecutive terms has been largely fueled by remarks from some ruling party figures who left the door open, calling it "a matter of public choice." Although President Lee Jae-myung stated that his term is restricted by the Constitution, the People Power Party has urged him to clearly declare that he will not seek re-election.

Next is reporter Kim Kwan-jin.

[Reporter]

Regarding President Lee Jae-myung's remark that "the term is clearly limited by the Constitution," the People Power Party criticized it as mere "wordplay," noting that he did not explicitly say he would "not pursue a consecutive or another term."

[Jang Dong-hyeok / Leader, People Power Party : There are no crafty constitutional amendments, we will not seek consecutive terms—these words are ultimately still not being said.]

While the Democratic Party did not issue an official commentary, reactions within the party continued to counter the People Power Party's criticism.

[Song Ki-heon / Lawmaker, Democratic Party : My thought is that the President does not necessarily need to speak on the matter.]

Regarding the possibility of a constitutional amendment for consecutive terms by an incumbent president, Cho Won-chul, Minister of Government Legislation and a classmate of President Lee from the Judicial Research and Training Institute, stated at a National Assembly audit in October of last year that it is "an issue for the public to decide." In addition, National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-shik, who previously served as a political special advisor to President Lee, caused a stir with the following remarks last July.

[Cho Jung-shik / National Assembly Speaker (Last July) : Ultimately, I think it is a matter of public opinion and the choice of the people, who are the sovereigns.]

Within some pan-ruling camp support bases, a so-called "3+4 consecutive term theory" has even emerged, suggesting that for constitutional reform, President Lee could shorten his term to three years and then run again to serve another four years.

During the negotiation group leader speeches at the National Assembly on the 7th and 8th, related verbal clashes continued.

[Kim Min-seok / Leader, Democratic Party (On the 7th) : The reorganization of the power structure should go as far as the public desires.]

[Chung Jeom-sik / Floor Leader, People Power Party (The day before yesterday) : We will never discuss constitutional amendment with forces seeking to pursue private interests through it.]

While some in academia suggest that consecutive terms are possible through a "two-stage constitutional amendment" that first amends or deletes Article 128, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution and then revises the single 5-year presidential term provision in Article 70, many views hold that consecutive terms by an incumbent president are fundamentally impossible given the intent of the current Constitution to block attempts at long-term rule itself.

(Photo: Yonhap News / Video reporting: Oh Young-chun, Kim Yong-woo | Video editing: Yu Mi-ra | Design: Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.