The office of National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik clarified on July 28 that his comments regarding the possibility of a constitutional amendment to allow the current president to serve additional terms were not intended to suggest any openness to such a change. The office emphasized that Cho is fully aware of the constitutional provisions related to this issue.
Jang Hyun-joo, the chief press secretary, spoke to reporters in the National Assembly, stating, "During today’s press briefing, the Speaker expressed a fundamental position that any restructuring of power must be based on public consensus and political agreement."
Jang asserted that Cho is cognizant of the constitutional clause that stipulates any proposed amendments for extending a president's term would not apply to the current president. He added, "Reports suggesting that the Speaker has opened the door to the possibility of a presidential term extension misinterpret his comments."
Furthermore, Jang highlighted that Cho believes a roadmap for constitutional amendments should involve public and political consensus, and that a special committee should be established to gather opinions on the matter.
Earlier that day, during a press briefing, Cho had commented on the issue of President Lee Jae-myung's potential re-election, stating, "The question of amending the constitution to allow the current president to serve additional terms ultimately depends on the will and opinion of the sovereign people, as well as how various political stakeholders reach an agreement."
Following these remarks, some media outlets, including those from the opposition, interpreted Cho's comments as leaving open the possibility for Lee's re-election, prompting the Speaker's office to issue a prompt clarification.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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