DPK's Lee Jae-myung proposes constitutional change for 4-year, 2-term presidency

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, speaks to reporters at May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju, Sunday, after a ceremony to mark the 45th anniversary of the Gwangju pro-democracy movement. Yonhap

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), on Sunday called for a constitutional amendment that would introduce a four-year, two-term presidency and a runoff system for presidential elections.

In response, conservative People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo agreed with Lee's proposal. He also suggested the new president's term be shortened to three years, inviting Lee to “sign an agreement on a constitutional amendment.”

Lee's proposals come after former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration triggered months of debate on the need to limit presidential power by reforming the Constitution to change the current presidential system — set in 1987 after decades of authoritarian governments.

“Let’s strengthen presidential accountability while decentralizing power,” Lee wrote on Facebook. “A four-year, two-term presidency would allow for a midterm evaluation of the administration, reinforcing responsibility. Meanwhile, adopting a runoff election system would enhance the legitimacy of democratic governance and help reduce unnecessary social conflict.”

Korea's current presidential system features a single, directly elected president who serves a five-year term and acts as the head of state and government.

Lee also proposed limiting the president’s veto power against bills for cases of corruption or criminal allegations involving the president or their family. This proposal follows Yoon's multiple vetoes of bills calling for an investigation into corruption allegations against him and his wife Kim Keon Hee.

Notably, Lee said that if a president seeks to declare an emergency order or martial law, they should be required to notify the National Assembly in advance and obtain its approval within 24 hours — or the declaration would be rendered invalid. This suggestion is linked to Yoon's alleged attempt to prevent lawmakers from voting to lift his martial law.

Lee also urged revising the Referendum Act and creating a special parliamentary committee for constitutional reforms. The act governs the process for national votes on key policies or constitutional changes.

“If the discussion moves swiftly, we could put the matter to a national referendum to be held together with the 2026 local elections at the earliest, or the 2028 general elections at the latest,” he said.

After an event commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Gwangju pro-democracy movement, Lee was asked if a president could seek a second term if a two-term system were introduced during their presidency. Lee replied, "The Constitution states that constitutional changes are not applied to the incumbent president," brushing off the speculation that Lee himself aims to seek a second term.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate for the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, speaks to reporters at May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju, Sunday, after a ceremony to mark the 45th anniversary of the Gwangju pro-democracy movement. Yonhap

Assembly-recommended prime minister

In a further move to reshape the relationship between the executive and legislative branches, Lee also insisted on greater parliamentary input in the selection of the prime minister, stating that the appointment should only proceed with the Assembly's recommendation.

Currently, the president nominates a candidate for prime minister, who is then required to receive Assembly approval.

"Regarding the appointment of a prime minister, we should only be able to appoint a prime minister after receiving a recommendation from the Assembly," Lee said.

Beyond the structure of the executive branch, Lee also addressed the crucial role of government oversight, specifically proposing a reorganization of the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea (BAI).

“The BAI should return to its core mission as a strict watchdog over administrative agencies and public officials,” Lee said. “To ensure its independence, it should be placed under the authority of the Assembly. This would, in turn, strengthen the legislature’s oversight of public finances and audits.”

In response to Lee's proposals, PPP candidate Kim welcomed Lee’s proposal to decentralize presidential powers, agreeing on the need for a four-year, two-term presidency.

However, he laid out his own plan, which includes shortening the term for the upcoming president to three years, so the next presidential election and general elections can both be held in 2028 and the two elections can be held every four years on the same year afterward.

Kim also proposed limiting presidential immunity from criminal prosecution.

"We need to make it written as Lee has changed his stances on constitutional reform many times. I propose immediate signing of an agreement for constitutional reform," he said in a statement.

PPP's special committee on amending the Constitution released a statement casting doubt on the sincerity of Lee’s proposals and calling them a “makeshift announcement ahead of the TV debate.” The first round of a TV debate among presidential candidates was scheduled for Sunday evening.

The committee noted that Lee repeatedly changed his wording.

"Lee made a pledge to revise the Constitution to a four-year, two-term system during the presidential election (in 2022). However, he completely turned a blind eye to the five constitutional amendments prepared by the PPP," it said.

Last month, Rep. Joo Ho-young, who chairs the PPP’s constitutional amendment committee, proposed introducing a four-year, two-term presidency and abolishing lawmakers’ immunity from arrest.

According to the committee, Lee agreed on April 3 to a proposal by Chung Dae-chul, chairman of the Parliamentarians’ Society of the Republic of Korea, that would involve holding both a presidential election and a constitutional referendum.

However, the committee noted that Lee opposed a similar proposal put forward just three days later by Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik.