Presidential office: Four-year term with stronger parliament most acceptable reform

The presidential office has clarified President Lee Jae-myung's position on constitutional reform, stating that a "four-year, two-term presidency with strengthened parliamentary powers" is the most publicly acceptable model. This statement comes in response to media reports suggesting the president had discussed shortening his term and exploring a power-sharing system during a golf outing with a ruling party lawmaker.

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We believe that a four-year, two-term presidency with strengthened parliamentary powers is the most acceptable to the public.

Presidential officials confirmed their agreement with the need to address the limitations of the current "imperial presidency." However, they emphasized that the president's vision is to "complement the limits of the imperial presidency with a two-term system," explicitly distinguishing it from a cabinet system or a power-sharing presidency. The president has consistently advocated for a constitutional amendment to a four-year, two-term presidency.

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We agree on the need to address the problem of the imperial presidency.

The office stressed that constitutional reform is a matter requiring the consent of over 200 members of the National Assembly. Therefore, they believe discussions and initiatives for such changes are best pursued within the legislature. The president's "principle" of needing consensus for constitutional amendment has been reiterated, underscoring the need for parliamentary consensus.

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This is not a cabinet system, nor does it specifically refer to a power-sharing presidency.

This clarification aims to reaffirm the president's long-standing proposal for a four-year, two-term presidency while distancing his administration from more radical power-sharing or term-shortening proposals that may have been implied in recent media reports. The focus remains on a gradual reform within the existing presidential framework, to be driven by legislative consensus.

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Constitutional amendment is a matter that requires the consent of more than 200 members of the National Assembly, so it is desirable to discuss and promote it in the National Assembly.