'Party Leader Resignation' Jeong Cheongrae: "I Will Stand by Lee Until the End... We Are Bound by Fate"

Re-election Bid Effectively Formalized

"I Will Not Stop the Engine of Reform"

"Doing My Utmost for the Success of the Lee Administration"

Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, resigned from his position as party leader on June 24. With the National Party Member Convention (National Convention) scheduled for August, this move is seen as effectively formalizing his intention to seek another term as party leader.

On this day, Jeong convened the Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly and stated, "This will likely be the last Supreme Council meeting I preside over. I will step down as party leader."

Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is announcing his resignation as party leader at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on June 24, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Jeong remarked, "I raised the banner as a strong reformist leader. Party member sovereignty, the one-person-one-vote system, prosecutorial reform, media reform, judicial reform—none of these were easy," adding, "Due to resistance both inside and outside the party, not a single day was comfortable, but I worked silently and diligently." He continued, "To ensure the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, I gave my all to support the government, the party, and the presidential office as one team, with one voice."

He also said, "The lesson from the June 3 local elections is that unity leads to victory and division leads to defeat. We must seriously consider unification and solidarity in order to secure victory in the general elections and regain power," adding, "If necessary, we must also consider and study the introduction of a runoff voting system."

Jeong went on to say, "The words I hear most from people all over the country are, 'Thank you for implementing the one-person-one-vote system.' Many also grasp my hand and urge me to ensure prosecutorial reform," emphasizing, "I will not stop the engine of reform." This is interpreted as his intent to complete the remaining reform tasks through another term as party leader.

Regarding speculation about conflict between Lee Jaemyung and Jeong Cheong-rae, Jeong stated, "No matter what anyone says, I am the one who will stand by President Lee Jaemyung until the end," and added, "The President and I are a community of political destiny—a 'single body' community." He continued, "President Lee's success is my success. So do not worry. I will remain loyal to President Lee to the very end."

He also said, "While I am stepping down as party leader, I will do my utmost from wherever I stand to ensure the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration. Even if the road is a difficult and thorny path, I will walk my path guided only by public sentiment and the will of our party members, so I ask all citizens and party supporters to do their best from their respective positions for the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration."

Prior to this, he recounted his connections with past presidents of democratic administrations. Jeong first said, "I am a National Assembly member from Mapo-gu, where former President Kim Dae-jung’s Donggyo-dong residence is located, and I am a practitioner of conscience in action," adding, "President Kim Dae-jung, who dedicated his life to democracy, human rights, and peace on the Korean Peninsula, has been my spiritual pillar." He continued, "My official birthday, as if by fate, is also May 18. Without May 18, there would be neither today’s democracy nor the Jeong Cheong-rae of today."

He mentioned his connection with the late President Roh Moo-hyun, saying, "I am a member of Nosamo (Roh Moo-hyun supporters’ group). Through Roh Moo-hyun, I awakened to political reality, and thanks to his political reforms and the introduction of the regional primary system, I was able to become a National Assembly member. I am a 'Roh Moo-hyun kid.'"

On former President Moon Jae-in, he said, "I can never forget the stirring speech at Pyongyang's May Day Stadium," and added, "The April 27 Panmunjom Declaration, the September 19 Military Agreement, and the stroll on the Footbridge with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are all unforgettable moments." He continued, "It was thanks to the Moon Jae-in administration that Korea became an advanced nation in COVID-19 response and laid the foundation as a cultural powerhouse."

He further said, "President Lee Jaemyung, who dreams of an egalitarian world and supporting the weak, is both my comrade and ally," adding, "As the chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and as the National Assembly's impeachment prosecutor to the Constitutional Court, I worked hard to impeach and remove Yoon Suk-yeol, the main instigator of rebellion." He emphasized, "We must use the history of Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in as nourishment to let the history of Lee Jaemyung blossom."

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