Key facts
- Cho said the National Assembly should take the lead in pursuing constitutional reform.
- Cho plans to launch an advisory committee under his office to set the revision's direction and priorities.
- The Constitution limits presidents to a single five-year term and bars an extension from applying to the sitting president.
National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik said on November 11 that he would keep pushing for a constitutional revision and rejected opposition claims that the effort is meant to let President Lee Jae Myung seek a second term.
Speaking at a discussion hosted by the Kwanhun Club, an association of senior journalists, Cho said extending a sitting president's term is not a subject of constitutional revision discussions, citing Article 128 of the Constitution. He said the issue should no longer be used for political conflict.
Cho said the National Assembly should take the lead on constitutional reform and that he plans to launch an advisory committee under his office soon to set the direction and key priorities. He also said he plans to visit major countries, including the United States and China, next year to advance South Korea's national interest.
The Constitution limits presidents to a single five-year term and states that an amendment extending the term would not apply to the president in office when it is proposed. Opposition lawmakers had questioned whether Cho left open the possibility of a second term after he told a July press conference that an incumbent president's eligibility would be up to the people to decide.