The constitutional revision currently proposed could shorten the next president’s term to three years, but such a change appears to lack the public support it would need to pass.

Several surveys on the revision scheme will likely be conducted, while three parties, excluding the Democratic Party of Korea, said Thursday they would unveil details by Sunday. 

The parties announced a day earlier that they reached a consensus on pushing for a two-term, four-year presidency via a referendum at the same time as the May 9 election.

One possible scenario is to advance the expiration of the next president’s tenure from 2022 to 2020 for the smooth introduction of the two-term, four-year presidency.

However, a recent poll, conducted by SBS, showed that about 60.7 percent of Koreans are skeptical about shortening the term of the president by two years to allow the effectuation of a new Constitution in 2020. Only one-third of respondents said they supported such a scheme.

A majority of respondents on internet portals said the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, if achieved, should not alter the five-year tenure of the next president, who will be selected on May 9.

Though the SBS poll was conducted on March 11-12, before the three parties unveiled their plan, it seems the three parties will have difficulty persuading the people even after they propose an amendment bill.

The three are the Liberty Korea Party, People’s Party and Bareun Party.

Supporters, including the three parties, say the terms of the president and lawmakers should coincide to maximize administrative efficiency.

They claim the year 2020 would be a good time to elect the president and the National Assembly simultaneously, both of whose terms would expire in 2024.

Liberty Korea Party floor leader Chung Woo-taik criticized the Democratic Party’s powerful presidential contender Moon Jae-in, who is one of few opponents of a constitutional revision at the current stage.

Chung on Thursday refuted Moon’s earlier remarks that “the three parties’ move is to defy the people’s sovereignty.”

He cited a constitutional clause, that stipulates that “the people entrust the National Assembly with the authority to amend the Constitution.”

Other presidential hopefuls are likely to continue to target Moon, who has maintained the No. 1 position in terms of support, by highlighting the side effects of “imperial presidents,” a term many critics have used, under the single-term, five year presidency.

While there remains less than 55 days before the presidential election, the Assembly should undergo four procedures for an amendment.

The four steps are proposal by a majority of lawmakers, deliberation, Assembly passage by a two-thirds majority, and a majority approval in a referendum.

There is no time limit for the second step.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)