Lee Nak-yeon Resignation Bill Passed in Plenary Session: "Deciding to Sacrifice Something Important for Regime Re-Creation" (Summary)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] The resignation bill of former Democratic Party leader and ruling party presidential candidate Lee Nak-yeon was passed in the National Assembly plenary session on the 15th.

Park Byeong-seok, Speaker of the National Assembly, announced before the start of the government questioning session in the afternoon that the resignation of lawmaker Lee Nak-yeon was passed with 151 votes in favor, 42 against, and 16 abstentions.

In a personal statement that day, former leader Lee said, "You entrusted me with a four-year term as a member of the National Assembly. However, I have become unable to fulfill that mandate. I apologize," adding, "I have had considerable deliberation. In the face of the historical responsibility of regime re-creation, I decided to give up what was most important to me."

He also said, "I apologize to my staff as well. My legislative activities were an important part of your lives," and tearfully added, "I have shaken your lives. I owe you an enormous debt."

He continued, "I hoped that this assembly hall would plant more love than hatred, more hope than despair in the hearts of the people," but said, "My hope was not fully realized. I have also witnessed this assembly hall being filled with language of division and exclusion rather than unity and inclusion."

He concluded, "Nevertheless, I do not lose faith in parliamentary democracy. I believe this assembly hall is a place that, even after experiencing hatred, confirms love, and beyond despair, finds hope. I entrust this task to my fellow lawmakers as I depart."

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