People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyuk criticized National Assembly Speaker Jo Jung-sik on the 28th for describing a presidential term extension amendment as a matter of 'sovereign people's choice,' warning that if President Lee Jae-myung pursues such an amendment it would constitute 'true insurrection.' Jang made the remarks at a press conference held at the National Assembly, accusing the Lee administration of attempting to extend the presidential term through constitutional revision. The criticism comes amid ongoing debate within South Korea's opposition party over constitutional amendment proposals, with the ruling PPP opposing any changes that would allow the current president to seek re-election.
Jang Dong-hyuk Accuses Lee Administration of Term Extension Plan
Jang Dong-hyuk stated at the press conference, "It appears that President Lee Jae-myung brought Representative Jo Jung-sik as a special advisor and gave him special training to pursue this kind of constitutional amendment." He added, "If President Lee Jae-myung truly pushes forward with a term extension amendment against the will of the people and the spirit of the Constitution, that would be true insurrection."
The PPP leader accused the administration of revealing its true intentions, stating, "He said he would absolutely not seek re-election, but now he has finally revealed his true colors." Jang claimed, "Whenever he talked about the May 18 spirit and election commission reform, he mentioned one-point constitutional amendments. He was just testing the waters everywhere to extend his term. There's nothing else in his head."
PPP Leader Criticizes Economic Performance and Stock Market Drop
Jang Dong-hyuk criticized the current administration's economic management, stating, "Right now, South Korea is in an uproar over the abolition of supplementary investigative powers. The public's anger over real estate and Deobureogeonjeomdang [a play on words combining 'Democratic Party' with 'mortgage'] is reaching the sky." He added, "Today, KOSPI dropped 11% and barely held the 6000 level. Since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office one year ago, it has destroyed all of South Korea's systems, and the stock market has now become hellfire."
The PPP leader questioned the timing of term extension discussions, saying, "People are saying even one year is frightening. They're saying the next four years will be long. Yet at this moment, how much more do they want to destroy South Korea and plunge the people into suffering by talking about Lee Jae-myung's term extension?"
Jo Jung-sik Describes Term Extension as Sovereign People's Choice
At his first press conference after taking office on the 28th, National Assembly Speaker Jo Jung-sik addressed questions about opposition party concerns regarding President Lee Jae-myung's term extension. When asked about the opposition party citing the president's term extension as a reason for opposing constitutional amendments, Jo stated, "In restructuring the power system, the issue of a sitting president's term extension amendment is ultimately the choice of the sovereign people."
Jo added, "It is a matter that various political parties must agree on," and noted, "Opinions will be collected through the Constitutional Amendment Advisory Committee or Constitutional Amendment Special Committee." While the Democratic Party has previously dismissed the possibility of a term extension amendment for a sitting president, Jo's reference to it as a "matter of people's choice" has been interpreted as leaving the door open to such a possibility.
FAQ
What did PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk say about presidential term extension on the 28th?
Jang Dong-hyuk stated at a press conference on the 28th that if President Lee Jae-myung pursues a term extension amendment against the will of the people and the Constitution, it would constitute "true insurrection." He accused the administration of revealing its intention to extend the presidential term through constitutional revision.
How did the KOSPI perform on the 28th according to Jang Dong-hyuk?
According to Jang Dong-hyuk's remarks at the press conference, the KOSPI dropped 11% on the 28th and barely held the 6000 level. He attributed this performance to the Lee Jae-myung administration's policies over the past year.
What did National Assembly Speaker Jo Jung-sik say about presidential term extension?
At his first press conference after taking office on the 28th, Jo Jung-sik stated that the issue of a sitting president's term extension amendment is "ultimately the choice of the sovereign people." He added that it is a matter requiring agreement among various political parties and would be addressed through the Constitutional Amendment Advisory Committee or Special Committee.
