South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun proposed Tuesday changing
South Korea's constitution to allow future leaders to stand for two
four-year terms instead of the current limit of a single five-year
mandate.
Roh said there was enough consensus to make the change before
his term ends in early 2008. But as he was elected under the
current constitution, any change would only benefit his
successors.
"I propose two four-year presidential terms," he told a rare
nationally televised press conference. "The single five-year term
adopted in 1987 aimed at preventing long-term rule has served its
purpose."
Roh, who has the power to introduce a constitutional amendment
in parliament for a vote, said he would exercise that right soon to
allow enough time to complete the change before his successor takes
office.
Initial public reaction was positive. A snap survey conducted by
one of the largest Internet portals immediately after the
announcement showed two-thirds of South Koreans supported it.
A growing number of academics and policy makers believe it is
now time to drop the single-term presidency, which was brought in
to ensure a steady political succession in a country where change
at the top had typically come by coup or assassination.
Roh said the current system undermined the authority of the
executive branch and made responsible government difficult late in
a term, at times "bringing on a national crisis".
"If we change the presidency to allow one additional successive
term of four years, it would promote responsibility and stability
in government and greatly contribute to consistency and continuity
in national strategic goals."
Analysts said Roh's own unpopular presidency with approval
ratings below 15 percent has paved the way for a change to the
two-term mandate.
His tumbling popularity is almost routine for South Korean
presidents. All its recent leaders have seen their approval ratings
fall precipitously by the fourth year, a trend now blamed on the
one-term presidency and on the country's chaotic political party
system.
The current constitution was adopted in 1987 in a political
compromise by military rulers after a summer of bloody public
protests calling for an end to authoritarian rule.
The change brought in a free and direct presidential election
while cutting the presidency to five years from seven.
The ruling Uri Party quickly welcomed the proposal. The main
opposition Grand National Party called the proposal a political
ploy and rejected it, saying it would not agree to any discussions
on it until Roh's term is over.
(China Daily via agencies January 10, 2007)
