Lee Nak-yeon, Who Made a Last Stand by Resigning from Parliament... "I Have Put Everything on the Line" (Update)

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Former Democratic Party leader and presidential candidate Lee Nak-yeon announced on the 8th that he will abruptly resign from his parliamentary seat. After Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung overwhelmingly led Lee in the party's Chungcheong region primary votes held on the 4th and 5th, Lee's move is interpreted as a last-ditch effort to rally his support base ahead of the first round of delegate voting results, scheduled for the 12th, known as the '1st Super Week.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the day, Lee stated at a press conference announcing his pledges in the Honam region held at the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, "I have decided to give up my position as a member of the National Assembly to protect the values of the Democratic Party and democracy and to pursue the reestablishment of the government," adding, "I will devote everything I have to achieving the reestablishment of the government and repay the debt owed to the Democratic Party and the Republic of Korea."

He emphasized, "We must present a candidate who is not shameful before the spirits of the May 18 Democratic Uprising," and "We must present a candidate worthy of the values of the Democratic Party and democracy." He then referenced why President Kim Dae-jung overcame numerous life-threatening challenges to become president and why President Roh Moo-hyun challenged regionalism barriers despite defeat and despair. Lee said, "It was because of the value of democracy," adding, "The spirit of the Democratic Party is to uphold and aspire to the values of democracy that were defended at the cost of lives or a lifetime. Because the Democratic Party has upheld and aspired to such a spirit, the presidents it produced?Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in?advanced the nation and elevated its stature."

Furthermore, Lee questioned, "Is the current Democratic Party presidential primary moving in a direction that well embodies such a spirit?"

He criticized, "How is it possible to think that the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate does not need to be moral?" and asked, "Is it acceptable that the Democratic Party and the conservative opposition party have reversed roles in attacks and defenses regarding morality in this absurd reality?"

With Lee’s resignation announcement on the day, the key issue is how much the gap in vote share with the leading candidate can be narrowed in the remaining primary votes. On the upcoming 12th, during the first Super Week involving about 700,000 voters (including the general public and ordinary party members), if Governor Lee fails to replicate the results of the recent Chungcheong region primary, it will be possible to judge that Lee Nak-yeon’s resignation card had an impact.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.