Lee Seok-yeon to Step Down After One Year... "Seemed to See Me as an Obstacle"

[Anchor]

Lee Seok-yeon, a conservative figure who served as the inaugural chairperson of the Presidential Committee for National Cohesion under the Lee Jae-myung administration, will step down without seeking a renewal of his term when his one-year tenure ends on the 9th. Lee left a remark suggesting that President Lee and his aides appeared to view him as an obstacle to driving state affairs.

Reporter Park Yerim has the details.

[Reporter]

Lee Seok-yeon, chairperson of the presidential committee, announced via social media today (the 3rd), stating, "I realized that the Lee Jae-myung administration's thoughts and philosophy regarding national cohesion differ significantly from mine," and adding, "I intend to step down from my post in accordance with President Lee Jae-myung's wishes."

He will leave office on the 9th, when his one-year term concludes, without taking a consecutive term.

Lee added, "If there is one thing I hope for from President Lee, it is that at least a fragment of my candid advice will be reflected in the process of state governance."

In a phone interview with SBS, Lee explained that he had inquired with President Lee through Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo about whether he retained the President's confidence, and was informed yesterday that there was no intention to renew his term.

He went on to say, "From the perspective of President Lee and his aides, it seems I was seen as an obstacle to the unified and swift pursuit of state affairs."

Lee, a constitutional law expert and conservative figure who served as the Minister of Government Legislation during the Lee Myung-bak administration, declared his support for President Lee during last year's presidential election and served as co-chairperson of the presidential campaign committee.

After taking office as the inaugural chairperson of the National Cohesion Committee right after the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, he has voiced critical views over the past year against the ruling bloc's push to introduce the crime of judicial distortion and completely abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers.

Recently, he also sparked controversy by publicly advising President Lee to leave the Democratic Party.

[Lee Seok-yeon / Chairperson of the Presidential Committee for National Cohesion (August 18, MBC '100 Minutes Debate') : Leave the Democratic Party. Return not as the Democratic Party's president, but as the president of the people.]

Regarding Chairperson Lee, a Cheong Wa Dae official stated, "He is simply stepping down as his scheduled term has expired."

(Video by: Jung Sang-bo, Ha Ryung | Video Editing by: Nam Il | Design: Lee Ga-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.