Lee Seok-yeon, Presidential Committee on National Integration Chairman, Steps Down

▲ Lee Seok-yeon, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on National Integration

Lee Seok-yeon, the chairman of the presidential committee on national integration who has offered critical voices to the government and ruling party over the past year after being appointed under the Lee Jae-myung administration, has announced his resignation.

Chairman Lee wrote on Facebook today (September 3), "I will step down from my position as chairman of the Presidential Committee on National Integration effective September 9."

In a phone call with SBS, Chairman Lee explained the reason for his resignation, saying, "From the perspective of President Lee Jae-myung and his close aides, I seem to have been seen as an obstacle to the smooth and unified implementation of state affairs."

He also stated that ahead of the expiration of his term, he recently asked President Lee through Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo whether the president still trusted him, but decided to step down after hearing back yesterday (September 2) that "the president has no intention of extending his term."

However, Chairman Lee clarified, "Some media reports stating that I am stepping down due to the expiration of my term are not true."

Chairman Lee explained, "According to regulations, I could continue to perform my duties even after the expiration of my term, but since my one-year term ends on September 9, I asked the president for his trust once again through the senior presidential secretary for political affairs, and I am stepping down because I have confirmed the president's intent."

Article 4, Paragraph 2 (Term of Office of Members) of the Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the Presidential Committee on National Integration stipulates that "commissioned members may continue to perform their duties even after their term expires until a successor is commissioned."

Chairman Lee added, "What I feel is that the president and his aides view me as an obstacle to the unified execution of state affairs. However, whether I actually became an obstacle is something that should be evaluated two to three years from now."

Chairman Lee refrained from making specific comments on which aspects led him to feel that his philosophy on national integration differed from that of the government.

Earlier, Chairman Lee wrote on social media, "Although it was a short period of one year, I ran to the best of my ability to achieve national integration on the foundation of each citizen acknowledging differences and upholding constitutional values. I did so because I believed that was the path forward for South Korea and the path to the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration."

He continued, "However, I learned that this government's thoughts and philosophy regarding national integration are very different from mine. My return to public service was to be loyal to the Constitution, not to be loyal to the regime."

Chairman Lee conveyed, "If there is one thing I hope for from the president, it is that he will reflect, even if just a fraction of it, the candid advice I sometimes offered despite running the risk of being discourteous during the course of state administration."

Chairman Lee was previously classified as a conservative figure, having served as the Minister of Government Legislation under the Lee Myung-bak administration from 2008 to 2010, but has since voiced independent opinions across both conservative and progressive spectrums.

He joined President Lee Jae-myung's election camp ahead of last year's presidential election and was nominated as the inaugural chairman of the Committee on National Integration after the launch of the administration.

Under the current government as well, Chairman Lee has voiced opposition to policies pushed by the ruling party, such as the crime of distorting the law, the second comprehensive special investigation act, and the abolition of supplementary investigation powers.

In particular, he recently faced criticism from the ruling bloc after stating that President Lee must leave the Democratic Party in order to become a "president of all citizens."

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