Regarding the issue of constitutional reform for a decentralized power structure, President Lee Jae-myung was said to have noted that he "thinks constitutional reform should be done even if it means shortening my term."
Kim Tae-ho of the People Power Party told Yonhap News on the 13th that the president said this during a string of golf meetings with multiple-term lawmakers from the People Power Party in recent days.
At the meeting, Kim said on the issue of constitutional reform, "The 1987 system has reached the end of its lifespan and role, and the structure inevitably leads to a vicious cycle in which, whoever it is, a former president ends up in prison," adding, "There needs to be a change toward a form in which power and responsibility are distributed."
In strong agreement, the president said with a laugh, "It seems that if I say I will take the lead on things like this (constitutional reform by shortening the term), the public all opposes it," according to Kim.
As for the opposition's criticism that pushing for constitutional reform is "for reelection," he was quoted as noting, "Constitutional amendment requires a quorum in the National Assembly, and if the People Power Party opposes it, it will not pass, so if that were the intention, wouldn't constitutional reform be impossible," adding, "Since there is such a mechanism, there is no need to interpret it as being for reelection or dictatorship."
Earlier, during the 2022 presidential election, the president proposed constitutional reform for a four-year, two-term presidency and suggested "shortening the term by one year" to align the timing of the presidential and general elections. However, in May last year, regarding the issue of shortening the term, he noted, "The term of the nation's final responsible authority needs to be considered carefully."