Kim Byung-kee, the Democratic Party of Korea floor leader, said today on the 30th that he will step down from the floor leader post. As allegations of abuse of aides and misconduct by family members continued to surface, he decided that it would burden the government and the party and resolved to resign midway with about six months left in his term.
At a floor countermeasures meeting at the National Assembly the same day, the floor leader Kim expressed his intention to step down, saying he had reached the conclusion that as the Democratic Party of Korea's floor leader who will support the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, he should not cloud his duty.
In political circles, there had initially been strong expectations that on this day the floor leader Kim would apologize and explain the various allegations surrounding him and attempt a so-called "head-on breakthrough." But as additional allegations were raised one after another, he is said to have decided to resign voluntarily.
The floor leader Kim said, "I have thought a lot over the past few days. It was not my position that mattered, but I found it hard to accept the reality where a single allegation is expanded and amplified to be consumed as if it were fact and is used only as fodder for interest and political sparring rather than concern for the truth." He added, "As long as I stand at the center of the daily allegations, I can't help but be an obstacle to the Democratic Party of Korea and the Lee Jae-myung administration."
The growing negative public opinion inside and outside the party also appears to be behind the decision to resign. Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung of the presidential office said the previous day regarding the floor leader Kim's future, "We take this very seriously," and party leader Jung Chung-rae also said, "We see this as very serious."
Regarding the various allegations, the floor leader Kim apologized, saying, "There were actions that fell far short of the public's common sense and expectations, and the responsibility lies entirely with my shortcomings."
The floor leader Kim was elected in the Democratic Party of Korea floor leader race on June 13 and became the first floor commander under the Lee Jae-myung administration. But the start was not smooth. He was mired in controversy over a "favor-seeking allegation for the eldest son's job" and an "allegation of involvement in the second son's university transfer." In particular, this month, starting with the "Coupang luncheon" controversy, a flood of allegations followed, including "accepting Korean Air hotel invitation vouchers," "receiving preferential treatment for medical care at a hospital in the constituency," and "misusing a corporate card by his spouse." The floor leader Kim took an aggressive step by disclosing part of the group chat used by former aides, "Yeouido Matdori," and actively tried to explain, but the situation worsened afterward.
With the floor leader Kim resigning midway, the clock for the Democratic Party of Korea's floor leader election, which had been scheduled for June, has also sped up. Under the party constitution, when the floor leader's post becomes vacant, a successor must be re-elected through a general meeting of lawmakers within one month. The term of the re-elected floor leader runs until June, the remainder of the floor leader Kim's term. Until a successor is chosen, Moon Jin-seok, the senior deputy floor leader for floor operations, is to serve as acting floor leader.