Consecutive presidential terms? Don't even dream about it

Constitutional revision has reemerged as a topic of national discussion. However, the question at hand is not the previous debate over the 1987 constitution, but rather whether President Lee Jae Myung would be bound by a new constitutional amendment allowing for a four-year presidential term and the possibility of re-election. The Constitution explicitly prohibits the current president from reaping any benefits from such a change, making it unlikely that anyone would have considered this possibility before.

Yet, the matter has unexpectedly resurfaced during Lee's current tenure. When he was running for president, Lee had pledged a constitutional amendment that would allow for two consecutive four-year terms, and he had consistently assured voters that the amendment would not apply to him. If this remains the case, he should have responded to persistent speculation with annoyance, stating, "I keep telling you, I have no plans for a second term."

Instead, Lee's reaction has been less direct, saying, "Do I really need to say I won't steal?" This response suggests a lack of firm commitment to his earlier pledge. Lee's track record of changing his position on important matters further complicates the issue. In 2023, he declared that he would waive his immunity from arrest in times of crisis. However, when the actual arrest crisis occurred, he resisted.