Jung Sung-sik's 're-election amendment' controversy prompts Joo Jin-woo to say, "The principle that re-election is absolutely impossible must be made clear"

[Financial News] Targeting Speaker of the National Assembly Jung Sung-sik's remark that "issues such as amending the Constitution to allow a sitting president to seek re-election are ultimately a matter of public opinion and the people's choice," People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo said on the 29th that "Speaker Jung and the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) must make it clear to the public that no form of constitutional revision can ever make President Lee Jae-myung eligible for re-election."
In a post on social networking service (SNS) that day, Joo wrote, "Speaker Jung should stop hedging and state irrevocably that President Lee Jae-myung cannot run for re-election."
Joo said, "Some in the Democratic Party have openly argued that President Lee Jae-myung could seek re-election through a constitutional amendment," adding, "That is not true at all. Even if a four-year consecutive-term system were introduced during Lee Jae-myung's presidency, his term would only be shortened to four years, and he could never run in the next election."
Citing Article 128(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, which states that "a constitutional amendment to extend the term of office of the President or change the system to a consecutive term shall not take effect for the President in office at the time the amendment is proposed," he asked, "What is the position of the Speaker of the National Assembly and the DPK on this constitutional provision?"
Earlier, at his first press briefing since taking office on the 28th, Speaker Jung sparked controversy when asked about opposition resistance to constitutional reform over concerns about extending the term of a sitting president. He replied that "issues such as amending the Constitution to allow a sitting president to seek re-election are ultimately a matter of public opinion and the people's choice." Later, however, he moved to calm the backlash on SNS, saying, "A sitting president's re-election is not a subject for constitutional revision discussions," and adding, "I regret that my remarks, contrary to my intention, caused misunderstanding and controversy."
[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter