The presidential office on the 7th rejected as "completely untrue" claims that President Lee Jae-myung sidestepped a request from People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok to declare he would refuse "consecutive terms (serving again immediately after the end of a term)." In a media notice that day, the presidential office said, "Reports and accounts that the president avoided giving a direct answer to a question about consecutive terms are completely untrue."
It also said, "On a constitutional amendment for consecutive terms, the president answered, 'It is impossible to revise and pass the currently promulgated amendment bill, and isn't it impossible when the opposition has secured a blocking line?'" Choi Bo-yoon, senior spokesperson of the People Power Party who attended the "ruling-opposition-presidential office people's livelihood economy council meeting and luncheon," conveyed the closed-door conversation to the media, and the presidential office refuted the related remarks and reports.
Choi said to the press that at the closed-door meeting that day, Jang asked, "Please declare that you will not serve multiple terms or consecutive terms," but the president avoided a direct answer. Choi also said the president expressed a negative view, citing an issue of "balance among regions," in response to requests from Jang and floor leader Song Eon-seog for prompt passage of the "Busan Development Special Act" (Global Hub City Special Act).
Earlier, in his opening remarks at the meeting, the president asked that a constitutional amendment be pursued focusing on subjects with little disagreement between the ruling and opposition parties, such as "tightening the conditions for declaring martial law by the president" and "strengthening local autonomy."
The president said, "It seems the expression came from the People Power Party leadership for the first anniversary of the impeachment not long ago; in any case, it seems they pointed out problems with the martial-law situation," adding, "It is essential to tighten the conditions for martial law. I wonder who would oppose preventing the abuse of martial law." He also said, "There is no disagreement on strengthening local autonomy, so from the perspective of a gradual constitutional amendment, I wonder if you could accept it positively," and added, "Without the help of the People Power Party, a constitutional amendment is impossible. I ask that you discuss it in earnest."