New Reform Party Leader Lee Jun-seok to Resign Over Election Losses and Scandal

Lee Jun-seok, the leader of South Korea's New Reform Party, is reportedly set to resign from his position today. This decision comes in the wake of the party's poor performance in the recent June 3 local elections and a scandal involving a Busan mayoral candidate. The party faced a significant setback, managing to win only one local council seat across all major electoral districts nationwide.

Adding to the party's woes, the Busan mayoral candidate, Jeong Yi-han, was arrested and charged with staging his own attack. This controversy has further weakened Lee's standing within the party. Sources indicate that Lee had recently canceled a meeting with Kim Min-seok, the leader of the Democratic Party, signaling his intent to finalize reform efforts within his own party.

However, with the momentum for internal reforms waning, Lee has apparently decided that stepping down is the necessary course of action. His resignation is expected to be announced at a press conference scheduled for this morning at the National Assembly.