Rep. Cho Jeong-sik of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is running for the next National Assembly speaker, resigned as the president's special political adviser on the 3rd.
Cho said on X (formerly Twitter) that "now I intend to stand before a bolder path," and stated accordingly.
Cho said, "It has been four months since my appointment on Dec. 28 last year, and I worked with a heavy sense of responsibility as a bridge of communication linking the party, government, and presidential office as one," adding, "To ensure the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, I have coordinated every key policy juncture without discord so the ruling party can move in unison."
She added, "I will take stronger steps, with greater humility, toward a National Assembly of popular sovereignty and people's livelihoods," emphasizing, "With the proven stability of a six-term lawmaker, I will devote my utmost to the mandate given by the people."
In response, President Lee Jae-myung shared Cho's post on his X account and said, "Thank you for all your hard work," adding, "You have always been with us, and I sincerely appreciate it."
Cho is expected to register as a candidate in the party's primary for National Assembly speaker on the 4th. The Democratic Party of Korea will choose its candidate for the next speaker through an online vote of dues-paying members (20%) on the 11th–12th and an in-person vote of lawmakers on the 13th (80%). Including Cho, fifth-term lawmakers Kim Tae-nyeon and Park Ji-won are being mentioned as potential candidates.