Lee believes Nat'l Assembly should decide constitutional revision: presidential office

President Lee Jae Myung maintains that the National Assembly should be the one to determine the path forward for constitutional revision, according to a presidential official. The official revealed that President Lee has identified issues stemming from the country's governance structure, which concentrates excessive authority in the hands of the president.

This statement came in the wake of a report from the previous day, which claimed that Lee himself had proposed a constitutional amendment aimed at reforming the presidency. The official noted that Lee suggested a four-year, two-term system for the presidency, which he believed would be more palatable to the general public. This proposal was reportedly discussed during a recent round of golf between Lee and lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties.

Lee's reasoning behind his preferred presidential system was that it would help address the limitations imposed by the existing presidential system. "A four-year, two-term presidential system that strengthens the power of the National Assembly is most likely to be acceptable to the public," the official stated, emphasizing the president's belief in this configuration.

However, the official also made clear that the president sees the necessity for constitutional reform to be addressed and enacted by the National Assembly. Pursuing such changes would necessitate the approval of at least 200 out of the total 300 lawmakers. The president's stance is that constitutional reform should be pursued through a formal legislative process.