Lee Junghyun, People Power Party Nomination Chair, Returns Two Days After Resignation: "I Will Fulfill My Responsibilities to the End"

Lee Jung-hyun, the Public Nomination Committee Chair of the People Power Party, made a dramatic return just two days after expressing his intention to resign.

Jung Hyun Lee, Public Nomination Committee Member of the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News

On March 15, in a statement, Chairman Lee announced, "I will resume my duties as the Public Nomination Committee Chair," and added, "I will also take full responsibility for the outcomes." He continued, "Last night, the party leader conveyed to me that he would grant me full authority over nominations as the Public Nomination Committee Chair and asked me to complete the nomination reforms," explaining, "I believe this is a demand from both the party and the public for someone to take responsibility and make decisions in this time of crisis."

He further stated, "If decisive action is needed during the nomination process going forward, I will not avoid it," and promised, "I will fulfill my responsibilities to the end so that the nomination process becomes a new starting point for the People Power Party."

Previously, on the morning of March 13, Chairman Lee had informed the party leadership of his intention to resign, turned off his mobile phone, and went incommunicado. This came 29 days after he was appointed as the Public Nomination Committee Chair on February 12, and 22 days after the official launch of the committee on February 19.

Observers have speculated that the decision may have been influenced by the failure to implement nomination reforms in Daegu, known as the "heart of conservatism." The previous day, Party Leader Jang had publicly appealed for Chairman Lee's return via Facebook, requesting that he see the reform nominations through to completion.

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