South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed support on August 14 for constitutional changes allowing a four-year presidency with re-election, while transferring some executive powers to parliament. Reuters reported that Lee outlined his position in a post on X and said it remained consistent with his 2022 presidential campaign.
The proposed redistribution of authority included powers concerning the Board of Audit and Inspection, nomination of the prime minister and certain personnel appointments. Lee also advocated stronger local autonomy and constitutional protections for citizens. He argued that a constitution unchanged for nearly four decades no longer suited contemporary needs.
Lee said parliament should determine the details of any amendment through bipartisan agreement. He also reiterated that he could accept shortening the presidential term if doing so were necessary to achieve constitutional reform. The development was therefore a presidential statement of preferred institutional changes, rather than the enactment of a constitutional amendment. The report did not establish that lawmakers had agreed on final wording, a legislative timetable or the eventual implementation of a new presidential system.