🚨 4-Year Renewable Term

Today Korean Social News for Beginners | 2025.09.17

0️⃣ Constitutional Amendment and Political System Reform Discussion

📌 4-Year Renewable Term Constitutional Amendment Confirmed as National Agenda…Legal Community Calls It "Long-Cherished Goal" But Faces Persuasion Challenges

💬 The government has confirmed that pursuing a constitutional amendment including a 4-year renewable term for the president is now a national agenda. The goal is to change from the current single 5-year term to a renewable 4-year term system to improve government stability and responsibility. The government announced plans to hold a national referendum as early as the 2026 local elections or 2028 general elections. The legal community views this positively as formal constitutional amendment discussions have begun for the first time since the 1987 constitution was established. However, experts point out that achieving the constitutional amendment requires passing the high hurdles of a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and a national referendum, making opposition party cooperation and public persuasion essential.

💡 Summary

• A 4-year renewable term system reduces the president's term to 4 years and allows one re-election.
• Constitutional amendment pursuit has been confirmed as a national agenda to improve government stability and strengthen responsible politics.
• Success requires overcoming the high hurdles of opposition party cooperation and passing a national referendum.

1️⃣ Definition

4-Year Renewable Term means a system that reduces the president's term from the current single 5-year term to 4 years and allows one re-election, enabling up to 8 years of governance. This is a major political system reform that fundamentally changes the presidential term system in the current constitution.

Currently, South Korea maintains the single 5-year term system introduced through the 1987 constitutional amendment. This system was designed to end military dictatorship and prevent power concentration, but after more than 30 years of operation, various limitations have been pointed out. The 4-year renewable term system has been proposed as an alternative to solve these problems and improve the continuity and responsibility of government operations.

💡 Why is this important?

• It can secure stability and continuity in government operations, making long-term national development strategies possible.
• It can strengthen the president's political responsibility and encourage more careful policy decisions.
• It could be the first major reform of the current constitutional system maintained for 38 years.
• It will significantly impact the development of South Korean democracy through power structure reform.

2️⃣ Limitations of the Current Single 5-Year Term and Need for Reform

📕 Structural Problems of the Single 5-Year Term System

• Lame duck syndrome appears early. Main problems include:

  • The president's political influence weakens from the latter half of the term as they become conscious of the next presidential election.
  • Without re-election pressure, they can complete their term without being evaluated by the people.
  • It becomes difficult to pursue consistent policies from a long-term perspective.
  • Government momentum is consumed early due to political instability at the end of the term.

• There is a lack of policy continuity and accountability. Main limitations include:

  • National policy consistency suffers as governments change every 5 years.
  • Administrative inefficiency occurs due to the practice of rejecting previous government policies and starting anew.
  • There is a tendency to focus on short-term policies due to urgency to show results within the term.
  • Continuity of education, welfare, and infrastructure policies requiring long-term investment is not guaranteed.

📕 Expected Effects of Introducing the 4-Year Renewable Term System

• Government stability is expected to improve significantly. Main advantages include:

  • Responsible politics will be strengthened as presidents must continuously consider public evaluation for re-election.
  • It encourages sincere government operations as presidents can challenge re-election based on first-term achievements.
  • Long-term national strategies become possible as consistent policies can be pursued for up to 8 years.
  • Diplomatic credibility increases as South Korea is recognized as a predictable partner in international society.

• Democratic legitimacy and checks and balances are also strengthened. Main improvements include:

  • Democratic legitimacy is reconfirmed through the re-election process, which serves as a mid-term evaluation.
  • The possibility of re-election leads to more careful approaches in overall government operations.
  • Continuous checks by opposition parties and media can prevent abuse of power.
  • Responsive government operations that are more sensitive to public opinion become possible.

💡 Major Issues in Introducing the 4-Year Renewable Term System

1. Concerns about long-term rule: Possibility of power concentration and dictatorship due to up to 8 years of governance
2. Application of Article 128, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution: Controversy over whether the current president can be re-elected if the amendment passes
3. Need for opposition cooperation: Bipartisan consensus essential for two-thirds National Assembly approval
4. National consensus: Need for extensive social persuasion process to pass the national referendum
5. Power structure reform: Discussion of strengthening presidential system vs. introducing cabinet system elements

3️⃣ Constitutional Amendment Procedures and Political Prospects

✅ Legal Procedures and Requirements for Constitutional Amendment

• Complex constitutional amendment procedures must be followed. Main steps include:

  • The president or a majority of National Assembly members must propose the constitutional amendment.
  • The National Assembly must approve it with more than two-thirds of total members (currently 200 members).
  • A national referendum must be held within 60 days after National Assembly approval.
  • The amendment must receive majority approval in the national referendum.
  • Once all procedures are completed, the constitutional amendment is promulgated and implemented.

• Realistic political barriers are high. Main challenges include:

  • The ruling party alone cannot secure the two-thirds National Assembly approval required.
  • There are structural limitations making constitutional amendment impossible without opposition party cooperation.
  • Building consensus among civil society and the public is needed, not just political agreement.
  • Political interests regarding the timing and implementation of the constitutional amendment are complexly intertwined.

✅ International Cases and Comparative Analysis

• Major developed countries have adopted renewable term systems. Representative cases include:

  • The United States allows up to 2 re-elections with 4-year terms, enabling up to 8 years of governance.
  • France allows consecutive re-election twice with 5-year terms, enabling up to 10 years of presidential service.
  • Russia allows consecutive re-election twice with 6-year terms, and one can run again after a break.
  • Taiwan allows only one re-election with 4-year terms, similar to what South Korea is considering.

• Both positive effects and side effects of adopting renewable term systems must be considered. Main lessons include:

  • Most countries show positive effects in terms of policy continuity and stability.
  • However, possibilities of power concentration and corruption due to long-term rule must also be managed.
  • When checks and balances systems work well, they contribute to democratic development.
  • Customized design suitable for South Korea's political culture and institutional environment is needed.

4️⃣ Related Terms Explanation

🔎 Article 128, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution

• This clause excludes current presidents from constitutional amendments extending presidential terms or changing re-election rules.
  • Article 128, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution states that "Constitutional amendments for extending the presidential term or changing re-election rules shall have no effect on the president at the time of proposing such constitutional amendments." This is a safety mechanism to prevent current presidents from pursuing constitutional amendments to extend their own power.
  • The core meaning of this clause includes: First, the general interpretation is that current presidents cannot be re-elected even if the constitutional amendment passes. Second, the principle that constitutional amendment benefits apply from the next president onward. Third, it serves to fundamentally block attempts at constitutional amendments for power extension. Fourth, it embodies democratic principles and the spirit of power distribution.
  • However, there is interpretive controversy in academic circles regarding the meaning of "changing re-election rules." Views are divided on whether changing from a single-term to a renewable-term system constitutes "changing re-election rules," or whether it only means changes within an existing renewable-term system, potentially requiring future Constitutional Court judgment.

🔎 National Referendum

• A vote where all citizens participate to give final approval for constitutional amendments.
  • A national referendum is a direct democracy system where citizens aged 18 and over directly express their will by voting for or against constitutional amendment proposals. The Korean Constitution requires that constitutional amendment proposals must go through a national referendum after passing the National Assembly, giving citizens the final decision-making power.
  • Main procedures for national referendums include: First, it must be held within 60 days after National Assembly approval. Second, the National Election Commission manages and operates the voting. Third, the constitutional amendment is confirmed only if it receives majority approval of valid votes. Fourth, approval is achieved if favorable votes exceed half, regardless of turnout.
  • National referendums have significant meaning beyond simple yes/no voting as direct exercise of national sovereignty. The current constitution was also confirmed through a national referendum in 1987, and this 4-year renewable term constitutional amendment ultimately depends on the people's choice. Therefore, forming national persuasion and consensus along with political agreement is a very important task.

🔎 Lame Duck Phenomenon

• A phenomenon where the president's political influence significantly weakens toward the end of their term.
  • Lame Duck originally means a limping duck, and in politics, it refers to situations where politicians' influence rapidly decreases toward the end of their term or when re-election possibilities are low. Particularly in South Korea with its single 5-year term system, the problem of presidents losing political momentum from the latter half of their term as they get caught up in next presidential election politics is repeated.
  • Main characteristics of the lame duck phenomenon include: First, government momentum significantly drops in the latter half of the term. Second, the president's influence in relations with the National Assembly and ruling party rapidly weakens. Third, policy implementation power decreases, causing major reforms to be suspended or delayed. Fourth, next presidential election candidates take political leadership while the current president becomes marginalized.
  • The 4-year renewable term system is evaluated as an alternative that can alleviate this lame duck phenomenon. With re-election possibilities, presidents must be conscious of public evaluation throughout their term and continuously strive to achieve results. Additionally, if re-elected, consistent policies can be pursued for a total of 8 years, increasing policy continuity and effectiveness.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: If the 4-year renewable term system is introduced, can the current president also be re-elected?

A: According to Article 128, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution, the current president will likely be unable to be re-elected.

• Article 128, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution clearly states that "Constitutional amendments for extending the presidential term or changing re-election rules shall have no effect on the president at the time of proposing such constitutional amendments," so even if the constitutional amendment passes, it would not apply to the current president according to general interpretation. This is a democratic safety mechanism to prevent current presidents from pursuing constitutional amendments to extend their own power. First, most constitutional scholars hold the position that the current president cannot be re-elected. Second, this principle was applied in past constitutional amendment cases. Third, preventing abuse of power is prioritized according to democratic principles. Fourth, Constitutional Court judgment may ultimately be needed.
• Although there may be some controversy over the interpretation of "changing re-election rules," considering democratic spirit and the principle of checks and balances, re-election by the current president is expected not to be allowed.

Q: How likely is the 4-year renewable term constitutional amendment to actually succeed?

A: The prospects are unclear because opposition party cooperation is essential due to the high hurdle of two-thirds National Assembly approval.

• Constitutional amendments must go through the difficult procedures of approval by more than two-thirds of National Assembly members (currently 200 members) and majority approval in a national referendum. Considering current ruling and opposition party seat numbers, it is impossible for the ruling party alone, and active opposition party cooperation is needed. First, historically, constitutional amendments have only been possible through major political compromises. Second, opposition parties have shown skeptical positions toward the 4-year renewable term system so far. Third, public opinion has not yet shown clear direction. Fourth, political interests regarding constitutional amendment timing are complex. Fifth, constitutional amendment discussions may be pushed to the back burner as economic and social issues are prioritized.
• To increase the likelihood of success, processes such as forming a bipartisan constitutional amendment special committee, building national consensus, and developing reasonable constitutional amendment proposals must precede, which requires considerable time and political energy.

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