South Korea's Roh proposes two-term presidency

SEOUL, Jan 9 (Reuters) President Roh Moo-hyun today proposed 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 allow formal debate on a 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.'' 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.

REUTERS LL ND0948