President Lee Says He Has No Plans for Reelection

 
President Lee Jae-myung stated on September 18, "I have no intention of seeking reelection."
 
During a press conference at the Blue House, President Lee emphasized, "Reelection through constitutional amendment is impossible, and I have repeatedly stated that I have never considered it."
 
He dismissed claims that he intends to introduce a parliamentary system or a dual executive system as absurd, adding, "Demands for me to promise not to seek reelection seem to be a political attack aimed at framing me as someone who is contemplating reelection but has decided against it."
 
However, he maintained his position on the necessity of constitutional amendments, including the introduction of presidential term limits. President Lee stated, "My stance on constitutional amendments, including strengthening citizens' basic rights, distributing some presidential powers to the National Assembly and local governments, and introducing presidential term limits for policy consistency and national stability, has been consistent for a long time."
 
He further asserted, "The sovereignty of the Republic of Korea lies with the people, and all powers, including personnel authority, come from the people." He pledged to respect the will of the people as the sovereign when exercising all state powers, including personnel administration. In light of recent personnel controversies, he mentioned, "I will also review the personnel system at this time."
 
These remarks come amid ongoing opposition criticism regarding the proposed constitutional amendment for presidential term limits. During a visit to France on September 9, President Lee reiterated, "My term is clearly limited by the constitution," but the opposition has insisted that he must explicitly state his intention not to seek reelection. This press conference is seen as an effort by President Lee to clearly deny any possibility of reelection while separating discussions of constitutional amendments from his personal future.