President Lee Jae Myung’s recent remarks about the constitutional limits of his term deserve to be taken at face value — and, ideally, to put to rest a political controversy that has already consumed far too much attention. During a state visit to France, Lee explained the intensity of his early overseas schedule by saying "my term is clearly limited by the Constitution,” and that he therefore needed to begin summit diplomacy early enough to reap its benefits during his tenure. The immediate context was his emphasis on the importance of foreign policy, not constitutional reform. But because speculation about a possible constitutional amendment allowing a president to serve two terms has recently intensified, his reference to the constitutional limit of his tenure inevitably attracted political attention. Cheong Wa Dae interpreted his remarks as meaning that reelection is neither possible under the current Constitution nor something the president is considering. Senior officials have also indicated that Lee may address the matter more explicitly when he has an opportunity to speak