SEOUL: South Korea’s main opposition party head Lee Jae-myung said on Wednesday (Apr 9) he was stepping down as party leader, amid expectations that the current populist front-runner for the presidency in opinion polls would soon declare his run.
South Korea’s labour minister, Kim Moon-soon, who has been among a handful of ruling People Power Party members who indicated intentions to run, also declared his candidacy.
South Korea will hold a presidential election on Jun 3, after former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment stemming from a December martial law declaration was upheld on Apr 4.
“I will be now starting new work,” Lee, the Democratic Party leader, told a party leadership meeting carried live on his YouTube channel. He did not elaborate and did not confirm he would be standing for the presidency.
Lee, 61, lost by the slimmest margin in the country’s history when he ran against Yoon in the 2022 presidential election. Last year, he led his liberals to a landslide victory in a parliamentary election.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/south-korea-opposition-leader-lee-jae-myung-steps-down-presidential-election-5053461
