President Lee Jae-myung stated on September 24 (local time) that he will not extend his term, saying, "There will absolutely be no extending beyond June 2, 2030."
During a dinner meeting with the Korean community at a hotel in Mexico City, President Lee assured attendees, "I will ensure that during my presidency, South Korea takes good care of you so that you do not have to worry about the country."
Having previously addressed concerns about term extension during a press conference on September 18 and during his visit to Paris on September 9, President Lee reiterated his position regarding the possibility of extending his term amid ongoing discussions about constitutional reform.
With a smile, he added, "For those who might be worried about that, please do not."
President Lee emphasized the limited time he has to govern, stating, "I have made up my mind to change South Korea, and I promised our citizens that I would work to create a world where people can live well. I am making every effort to fulfill many of the promises I made within the limited time I have."
He noted that there have been some achievements, mentioning reforms in healthcare, public enterprises, civil service, and local governance.
While discussing the history of Korean immigration to Mexico, President Lee dedicated significant time to the challenges of reform. He referenced the Korean immigrants who moved to Mexico in 1905 and managed to raise funds for independence despite harsh conditions, saying, "Reform is not an easy task, much like funding an independence movement."
He explained, "Reform is about changing the abnormal to the normal. It is not about revolution, but about changing systems and adjusting interests."
President Lee remarked, "Those who benefit from the current flawed system will resist changes that threaten their interests. The pain of losing what one has can be greater than the pain of not gaining something."
He added, "Creating a better world requires a lot of energy. We need to be thoroughly prepared, persuade effectively, and inspire hope in those who desire a better world."
In discussing the need for a measured approach to reform, President Lee appeared to target author Yoo Si-min, stating, "In revolutionary situations, there is a tendency to overreach. Moving too quickly can lead to backlash."
He cited the National Security Law's provisions against praise and encouragement, noting, "Similar situations still occur today. Some make excessive claims to showcase their clarity, but while it may seem impressive, achieving good results is not easy."
President Lee expressed, "It would be great to resolve everything at once, but that is not easy. I believe it is better to minimize resistance and backlash while effectively and practically achieving tangible results."
He explained that there was a near consensus among lawmakers to eliminate certain toxic provisions of the National Security Law, stating, "It is unreasonable to completely abolish the law, but we agreed to delete a few of its harmful clauses. However, someone suddenly began to oppose it."
President Lee remarked, "Some insisted that we must abolish the National Security Law entirely, arguing that partial abolition is not acceptable, which ultimately prevented even the removal of the toxic clauses. As a result, those provisions still exist, and recently someone was subjected to a search and seizure under them."
Coincidentally, Yoo, who advocated for the abolition of the National Security Law as a member of the then-ruling party in 2004, has recently been critical of President Lee's commitment to prosecutorial reform.
The Blue House expressed regret the previous day over Yoo's comments, stating, "We regret the distortion of the President's commitment to prosecutorial reform."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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