President moves to quell reelection talk, but stops short of explicit denial

President Lee Jae Myung has stressed that his term in office is constitutionally limited, in what was seen as an attempt to defuse controversy amid speculation that he wants to extend his presidency through constitutional reform.

His remark, however, appears to have fallen short of ending the criticism, with the main opposition party criticizing him for not explicitly denying that he intends to seek another term.

“In any event, my term is clearly limited under the Constitution,” the president said during a meeting with the Korean community in Paris on the final day of his state visit to France, Wednesday (local time). He arrived back in Korea on Thursday.

Lee’s comment came as he explained why he had arranged multiple overseas trips during his second year in office under Korea’s current single five-year presidency.

“Even if I build strong relations with other countries later in my term, there will inevitably be limited opportunities to capitalize on them ... I need to begin summit diplomacy early to ensure that its benefits can be enjoyed for as long as possible,” he said.

Although Lee was explaining his diplomacy efforts, his remark drew attention to Korea's current presidential term limit, which the Lee administration is pushing to revise through a constitutional amendment.

His proposal includes replacing the current single five-year presidency with a system allowing a president to serve two four-year terms.

The president had received criticism recently for not explicitly ruling out seeking another term. Critics insist that any new system should apply only to his successor, particularly because several criminal trials he faced before his election were suspended after he took office. The current Constitution also says that any such amendments will not apply to the sitting president.

Cheong Wa Dae interpreted the president’s remark as signaling that his reelection is not an option.

“I believe he was saying that what some people describe as reelection is completely impossible and cannot even be considered,” Sung Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, said in a radio interview on Thursday.

Asked whether Lee’s remark could be understood as meaning that he would not pursue a constitutional amendment enabling his reelection, Sung said, “I think it can be interpreted that way.”

Sung nevertheless left open the possibility that Lee could address the issue more directly at a future public event.

Also on Thursday, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) rejected the president’s comment, arguing that Lee had deliberately avoided making an unequivocal pledge.

“His remark came as he was explaining his frequent overseas trips, rather than answering a direct question about reelection,” PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said, accusing the president of dodging the issue.

PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig called the remark “nothing more than wordplay that marks no change from his previous position,” saying the president must pledge not to amend the Constitution for his own political benefit.

The dispute comes as multiple polls show the president’s approval rating repeatedly hitting new lows amid controversies over domestic issues, including real estate policy, financial products, a proposed merger of military academies and personnel appointments.

Although the ruling Democratic Party of Korea holds a majority in the National Assembly, a constitutional amendment requires approval from two-thirds of all lawmakers, meaning it would need support from the PPP.