Hong Ik-pyo, chief presidential secretary for political affairs at Cheong Wa Dae, said Wednesday that a constitutional amendment allowing the incumbent president to seek re-election is "realistically impossible" under the current constitution.
Speaking on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus," Hong addressed remarks by National Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik on constitutional reform, reaffirming that "while all matters related to the constitution would ultimately be put to the people, anything related to re-election is impossible under the current constitution."
The controversy began Tuesday, when Jo told reporters at a press briefing that questions surrounding the incumbent president's re-election in any restructuring of the power system were "ultimately a matter of public opinion and the choice of the sovereign people."
The remarks diverged from the position consistently held by President Lee and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea — that any constitutional amendment may not apply to a sitting president — and prompted speculation that Cheong Wa Dae and the speaker's office had coordinated in advance.
When asked whether the word "re-election" had ever come up in any communication with the speaker's office, Hong drew a clear line. "That has never happened," he said, adding that the idea of a constitutional amendment for re-election had "never once crossed my mind, because I have never thought it was possible."
Hong said the president had made his position clear on multiple occasions. "A constitutional amendment for re-election is not possible — it is impossible under the current constitution," he said. "Article 128, Paragraph 2 of our constitution already spells this out. The president is well aware of it and has repeated it many times."
Meanwhile, when asked whether political realignment had ever been discussed, Hong said Cheong Wa Dae had never planned any such move.
"There was absolutely no reason for Cheong Wa Dae to discuss political realignment," he said, shrugging off the suggestion that the presidential office had ever considered engineering a shift between parties — such as recruiting opposition figures to join the ruling party.
Hong also said Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho had not yet formally announced his resignation. He added that the minister of the relevant agency — the Ministry of Justice for the new prosecution office and the Ministry of Interior and Safety for the serious crimes investigation agency — should remain in post until the new institutions are properly established.
moone@heraldcorp.com
