Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok steps down

Minor opposition Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok resigned on Wednesday after his push to overhaul the party failed to win enough support from within its ranks. The rest of the party leadership also stepped down.

The announcement comes after the party’s candidate for Busan mayor in the June 3 local elections was arrested and indicted for allegedly staging an attack on himself in an attempt to boost his election prospects. The candidate allegedly arranged for a man to throw a drink at him while he was campaigning.

“I am stepping down as leader of the Reform Party today,” Lee said at a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on Wednesday. “For a little over three months since the local elections, I have considered and proposed ways for the party to stand on its own and reform itself.”

Lee found the efforts to be insufficient.

“But I failed to win enough support within the party,” Lee said. “No one else is to blame. As party leader, I bear full responsibility for failing to persuade others.”

Lee founded the Reform Party in 2024 after leaving the leading opposition People Power Party in December 2023 following corruption allegations and ideological clashes with then-President Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee has chaired the Reform Party since July 2025. 

Lee said the political calendar ahead left little room for further disagreement over the party’s direction.

“We face a political schedule that cannot be put off. Politics waits for no one,” Lee said. “I concluded that we could not face what lies ahead without an agreement on our direction.”

“If I were instead standing in the way of what other members of the party wanted to do, I believed stepping aside was the choice I had to make for the party,” Lee said.

“I will continue to do my part as a party member and as the lawmaker representing Dongtan 2 New Town [in Gyeonggi],” Lee said. “I ask you to give even greater support to those who will lead the party next. Thank you for everything.”

Reform Party said its Floor leader Rep. Chun Ha-ram will serve as acting party leader and oversee measures including a national convention to elect the next leadership.

The Reform Party fielded numerous candidates in the June 3 local elections, including candidates for metropolitan and municipal leadership posts, but only won one seat on a local council.

The party faced further political pressure after Jeong I-han, its candidate for Busan mayor, was arrested and indicted on charges of staging an attack against himself.

Lee reportedly decided to take responsibility and step down after his post-election reform efforts failed to gain sufficient support within the party.

Policy committee chair Rep. Lee Ju-young; supreme council members Kim Jung-chul, who was the party’s Seoul mayoral candidate in the June 3 local elections; and Kim Seong-yeol resigned alongside the former party leader.

The Reform Party’s rules do not provide for a separate emergency leadership committee. If the party leader position becomes vacant, the rules require either a successor to take over based on the order of votes received at the previous national convention or a special national convention to be held within 60 days, depending on the time remaining in the leader’s term.

BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]