Democratic Party of Korea Supreme Council members Jeon Hyun-hee, Han Jun-ho and Kim Byung-joo will step down from the Supreme Council to run in the June 3 local elections next year. As a result, the "Jung Chung-rae leadership" will maintain the current structure without shifting to an emergency leadership committee. The vacant Supreme Council seats are expected to be filled through a by-election in January next year.
On the morning of the 1st, at the Democratic Party Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, three of the seven Supreme Council members formally expressed their intention to resign.
Jeon, a Supreme Council member, said, "Today, I conclude a 470-day long march and step down from the Supreme Council." Jeon said, "I have wrestled with this deeply. Even when I decided to run in Gangnam, I made up my mind to run with the spirit of putting the party first, to throw myself into breaking regionalism and classism," adding, "We will complete a popular sovereignty government that unites the center and localities and will win the upcoming local elections to bring the Democratic Party back to power."
Han, a Supreme Council member, also said, "I think today's Supreme Council meeting will be my last," adding, "For the time being, I will focus on the activities of the Special Committee to Respond to Indictments Fabricated by Political Prosecutors, helping comrades harmed by political prosecutors and doing my best to expose the lawlessness of those who tried to kill President Lee Jae-myung through innocent comrades."
Kim, a Supreme Council member, likewise said, "For the complete liquidation of the rebellion, and for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, I will step down from the Democratic Party Supreme Council," while pledging ▲ punishment of the rebel forces ▲ complete dissolution of the People Power Party ▲ support for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration. Jeon is expected to run for Seoul mayor, and Han and Kim are expected to run for Gyeonggi governor.
Lee Un-ju, a Supreme Council member who had been floated as a potential candidate for Gyeonggi governor, declared she would not run. With only three of the nine Supreme Council members resigning, the "Jung Chung-rae leadership" remains in place. Under the party charter, more than half of the Supreme Council members (five) must resign to shift to an emergency leadership committee.
The three vacant Supreme Council seats are expected to be filled through a by-election in January next year. Under the party charter, a by-election must be held if more than eight months remain in the term. Successors to the Supreme Council are elected by 50% of the full Central Committee and 50% of dues-paying party members.