South Korea's nominations committee chief resigns amid party crisis ahead of local elections

In the run-up to the June 3 local elections, Lee Jeong-hyeon, head of the People Power Party’s nomination-management committee, abruptly announced his resignation and told Yonhap News Agency that the party is in a “coma state” and needs “emergency measures.”

In a brief phone conversation with Yonhap, Lee described the party as being in a coma and said only an “electric shock device” could revive it. He added that if he cannot wield such a device, “what other option is there but for me to leave?”

Lee said he had already devised an innovative reform plan based on analysis and public opinion polls, but lamented that the outcome was painful. He stressed he does not want the party to splinter further or to hurt anyone, and he declined to disclose his exact reasons for stepping down.

He also offered an apology to party leader Jang Dong-hyeok. Lee announced his resignation on the 12th and has been in hiding since. The party leadership has not accepted his resignation and has sought to contact him, but he is reportedly staying outside Yeouido with his mobile phone turned off. The interview with Yonhap appears to have occurred when his phone was briefly turned on.

Yeouido, a district in western Seoul, hosts major political offices and the National Assembly, and the nomination-management committee plays a central role in screening and selecting candidates for local offices in the upcoming elections.

The episode unfolds as the party faces the local elections in which control of cities like Seoul and other municipalities could influence broader national policy, governance, and political messaging. For the United States, sustained stability in South Korea matters for security commitments, alliance coordination, and regional supply chains tied to Korea’s technology sectors, including semiconductors and other advanced industries.

Analysts note that the resignation and the ongoing dispute over candidate nominations highlight the fragility of party cohesion ahead of the polls. The next steps—whether the resignation is accepted, how the party resolves internal rifts, and who ultimately becomes the slate of nominees—could shape public perception and campaign momentum in a pivotal electoral test for the ruling party.