South Korea’s People Power Party attacks president over refusal to say he will not seek a second term

President Lee Jae-myung’s refusal to say four simple words, “no second term,” has given South Korea’s People Power Party a fresh line of attack.

Party spokesman Cho Yong-sul cited Lee’s response to calls for an explicit pledge and asked whether it was really so difficult to say he would not steal and would live properly. He accused the president of suddenly turning to constitutional reform after his approval rating fell sharply.

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no second term

Cho said many people had demanded a declaration against a second term as a test of Lee’s sincerity in discussing constitutional reform. Instead, he said, the president had remained silent and avoided the issue to the end. The party also warned of growing public concern over what it called a “trick constitutional amendment.”

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Why bother?

Five-term lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon made a similar argument on Facebook. He said an ordinary person who appeared likely to obey the law would not need to make such a pledge, but argued that Lee’s previous conduct made the promise harder to trust. He added that people might eventually say they would not believe Lee even if he made the declaration.

Multiple participants said Lee made his remarks at a meeting with civil society groups at the Blue House. Asked whether he should state more clearly that he would not seek another term, Lee reportedly said, “Why bother?” He also said neither the public nor the National Assembly would accept such a statement if constitutional reform were pursued. The article says Lee has repeatedly stressed that a constitutional change allowing a second term could not apply to a sitting president and would not be practically possible for him.

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Aren’t you asking me to say I won’t steal?