[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung has commented on the issue of his term for the first time since National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik remarked that a constitutional amendment allowing consecutive terms for a sitting president is a matter of public opinion and choice. Amid suspicions raised by the conservative opposition parties over whether he intends to seek a consecutive term, the President stated that his term is clearly limited by the Constitution.

Today's first news, reported by Park Yerim.

[Reporter]

On the day following his 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 asked for 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 the attention of international organizations by pointing out that economic polarization within society is even impacting unstable international situations such as recent wars.

President Lee Jae-myung concluded his five-day, three-night state visit to France and boarded his flight back home.

The Blue House 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 backlog of domestic pending issues.

Amid mounting controversies surrounding Minister of Justice Kim Seung-won and Minister of Gender Equality nominee Yong Hye-in—who were nominated on August 30 ahead of his trip to France—opposition parties are repeatedly pressuring for the withdrawal of both nominations.

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

The constitutional amendment being prepared by the ruling camp is also a major topic.

Earlier, during a meeting with Korean residents in France, President Lee explained the reasons for having many overseas trip schedules early in his term, 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 regarding the possibility of President Lee pushing for a constitutional amendment for consecutive terms.

(Video Shooting: Yoon Hyeong, Video Editing: Oh Young-taek)