President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung greet flower children at a luncheon meeting with overseas Koreans held at a hotel in Paris, France, on the 9th (local time). / Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung said on the 9th (local time) that his term in office is "clearly limited by the constitution."

While the remark came in the context of explaining why he had scheduled numerous overseas trips early in his presidency, it is interpreted as taking aim at the opposition party, which has mounted an offensive claiming that constitutional reform efforts pursued by the government and the ruling party are aimed at securing a consecutive term for President Lee.

President Lee, currently on a state visit to France, stated in his opening remarks during a meeting with overseas Koreans in downtown Paris: "I have arranged a considerable number of overseas visits early in my term. In any case, my tenure is clearly limited under the constitution, so the earlier we start summit diplomacy, the longer we can reap its benefits."

President Lee also remarked, "Later in one's term, no matter how strong a relationship you forge with other countries, the opportunities to leverage it are inevitably limited."

He noted, "For South Korea, often called an open trading nation, summit diplomacy offers excellent opportunities for investment, economic cooperation, and security partnership."

He continued, "In fact, the nations I have visited have seen notable jumps in export growth rates, alongside invigorated private exchanges and corporate cooperation. I intend to meet many overseas compatriots in each country. Their conditions, too, must have seen considerable improvements."

President Lee added, "The way people back home view South Korea has changed, and our international standing is undergoing a transformation so dramatic it could be called earth-shattering. We must make the most of this opportunity. I will do my best so you do not have to worry about the Republic of Korea."

President Lee also drew a comparison between South Korea's situation and the French Revolution.

He explained, "France completely transformed humanity's social systems through the historic event of the French Revolution. South Korea, too, has been undergoing tremendous, revolutionary changes starting from that night on December 3, 2024, when emergency martial law was declared."

He continued, "In the course of the French Revolution, France also experienced periods of reaction and counter-revolution accompanied by tremendous sacrifices. Pushing the situation to extremes led to facing that so-called reaction."

He emphasized, "Through counter-mobilization and the alienation of moderates, it faced a dark period of counter-revolution. History advanced once more after time passed and huge sacrifices were made, but we must never repeat such past experiences."

President Lee then said, "When energy runs high, there is a need for moderation. We must move in a desirable direction while minimizing pain and resistance under broad consensus. Such is the lesson of history, and it is something we ourselves must handle with caution."

                                                                                                             Hong Sun-mi