President Lee Jae Myung, who is on a state visit to France, stated on the 9th (local time), “My term is clearly limited by the Constitution.” The president made this remark while explaining why he has been conducting many overseas trips early in his term during a luncheon meeting with compatriots held at a hotel in Paris. Although the comment came during an explanation of his summit diplomacy schedule, it marked the first time since late July—when discussions about a constitutional amendment for a second term began in political circles—that President Lee directly addressed the issue of his term.
President Lee said that day, “I have already scheduled many overseas visits early in my term,” adding, “There are several reasons. First, summit diplomacy provides good opportunities for South Korea, an open trading nation, in terms of trade, investment, economic cooperation, and security cooperation. It also has the effect of increasing engagement among compatriots.” He continued, “In any case, since my term is clearly limited by the Constitution, we must start early to enjoy the effects for as long as possible.”
Analysts interpret President Lee’s mention of the term issue during his remarks at the luncheon as an attempt to quell the controversy over a constitutional amendment for a second term, which has been cited as one of the reasons for his approval rating dropping to the lowest level since his inauguration, the 30% range. As the People Power Party continued its offensive—asking, “Is the president attempting to extend his term through a constitutional amendment?”—during his visit to France, Hong Ik-pyo, Cheong Wa Dae’s Political Affairs Chief, said the previous day, “The president will soon clarify his stance more clearly.”
However, opposition parties argue that President Lee’s remarks only referenced the constitutional term limit and did not clearly draw a line on the issue of a second or extended term, failing to extinguish the controversy.
◇Lee addresses term issue at compatriots’ meeting… Opposition: “Attempting to evade crisis amid poor polls”
Kim Tae-gyu, the People Power Party’s chief spokesperson, commented on President Lee’s remarks on the 9th, saying, “It is obvious that a president’s term is constitutionally limited, and everyone knows this. Given the public’s negative reaction to the constitutional amendment for a second term, the president appears to have made a principled statement to temporarily avoid the crisis.” He added, “If this is a preliminary step toward attempting a constitutional amendment to extend the administration’s tenure, we will never accept it.”
Meanwhile, President Lee stated at the compatriots’ meeting, “France changed the entire social system of humanity through the Great Revolution, a monumental historical event. South Korea is also undergoing a tremendous revolutionary change starting from the night of December 3, 2024, when martial law was declared.” He continued, “France also experienced periods of reaction and counter-revolution during its revolution, with enormous sacrifices. Through polarization, the withdrawal of moderates, and so on, it faced a dark period of counter-revolution.”
President Lee then said, “When energy overflows, restraint is necessary. With the consent of many people, we must move forward in a desirable direction while minimizing pain and resistance.” This was interpreted as a call for cautious reform to prevent moderates from withdrawing, directed at the president’s strong supporters. Recently, some pro-government factions have criticized the administration for a “retreat from reform,” citing the nomination of Kim Ji-yong, a former prosecutor, as a candidate for the serious crimes investigation agency, and the partial revision of the real estate tax reform plan.
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