President Lee Thanks Cho Jung-sik for "Always Being by My Side" as He Resigns as Special Advisor for Political Affairs

Expected to Register as a Candidate for National Assembly Speaker Race on May 4

On May 3, President Lee Jae-myung expressed his gratitude to Assemblyman Cho Jung-sik of the Democratic Party of Korea, who stepped down from his position as Presidential Special Advisor for Political Affairs, saying, "Thank you for your hard work thus far."

President Lee Jae-myung is taking a commemorative photo with Cho Jung-sik, Presidential Special Advisor for Political Affairs, after awarding a certificate of appointment at the Blue House on March 27, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On the same day, President Lee shared Assemblyman Cho's resignation post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Special Advisor Cho, thank you for your dedication. You have always been by my side, and I sincerely appreciate it."

Earlier, Assemblyman Cho announced on his own X account, "Today, I am stepping down from the position of Presidential Special Advisor for Political Affairs to President Lee Jae-myung." It has been about four months since he was appointed as Special Advisor on December 28 last year.

Assemblyman Cho stated, "In the four months since my appointment on December 28 last year, I have worked with a great sense of responsibility as a 'bridge of communication' uniting the party, the government, and the Blue House." He continued, "To ensure the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, I have coordinated state affairs without discord at every critical juncture, so that the ruling party moves in unison. Now, I wish to stand before a bolder path."

He added, "I will move forward toward a National Assembly that upholds the sovereignty of the people and prioritizes the livelihoods of citizens, with even greater humility and vigor. With the proven stability of a six-term lawmaker, I will devote my utmost efforts to fulfill the mandate given by the people."

Assemblyman Cho's resignation is seen as a step toward officially launching his bid for Speaker of the National Assembly in the latter half of the 22nd National Assembly. The Democratic Party of Korea plans to select a candidate for the speakership through an online vote by party members with voting rights on May 11–12, followed by an on-site vote by lawmakers on May 13.

Assemblyman Cho represents the Siheung-eul district in Gyeonggi Province and is serving his sixth term. He has previously held positions such as Secretary General and Policy Committee Chair of the Democratic Party, Chair of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, and also served as Secretary General during President Lee Jae-myung's tenure as party leader.

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