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)