President Lee Jae-myung says he has no intention of seeking a second term
Speaking at a press conference held at the Blue House's Yeongbingwan guesthouse on the 18th, President Lee Jae-myung ruled out seeking a second term, saying he 'has no intention of running again,' while withholding a final decision on appointing Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won. The president said he has repeatedly stated that a second term through constitutional amendment is impossible under the Constitution and that he has never considered one, characterizing demands that he pledge not to seek reelection as 'a political offensive designed to create the impression that I had once plotted a second term and then abandoned it.' He had previously said at a meeting with civil society groups on the 4th that the demand was 'no different from asking me to promise not to steal,' and at a meeting with compatriots in France on the 9th that 'my term in office is clearly limited under the Constitution.'
He also took a position on the question of dropping his criminal charges. While believing that a special counsel investigation is needed to uncover the truth behind cases suspected of being fabricated prosecutions, President Lee asked the National Assembly to remove provisions in the special counsel law relating to the transfer or disposition of existing prosecutions. 'Please delete the provisions concerning the transfer or disposition of existing prosecution cases and focus solely on uncovering the truth,' he said.
In a Gallup Korea poll released that day, positive ratings for President Lee's job performance fell to 37 percent, the lowest since he took office, while negative ratings rose 5 percentage points from the previous week to 56 percent. Reflecting on his declining approval ratings, he said, 'It was due to my shortcomings. I think I may have shown somewhat insufficient respect for the people.'
On the infighting among supporters within the ruling camp, he said, 'I hope no one resorts to slurs against, denigrates, or hates anyone.' 'The people who made me president are hurting a lot these days. I am hurting too,' he said, emphasizing that 'no matter how great our internal differences are, they are not as far apart as the distance we must close with those we need to defeat.' Park Sung-min, head of the political consultancy Min, assessed that the press conference 'showed an effort to rebuild an electoral alliance among the progressive camp.'
On real estate, he repeatedly stressed that 'breaking free from Korea's myth that real estate never fails — from being a real estate republic — is this government's central task,' adding, 'This government will do it.' He said he would swiftly expand supply through land development, including construction permits, as well as rebuilding and redevelopment projects, noting that the Prime Minister's Office monitors progress daily and he receives weekly reports.
On the appointment of a successor to former Senior Presidential Secretary for Policy Kim Yong-beom, he said he was 'still deliberating' and searching for the right person with a view to strengthening social policy.
