Lee Jun-seok abruptly resigned as leader of the Reform Party on the 26th, taking responsibility for the party's defeat in the June 3 local elections. Because the party has effectively operated under Lee's dominance, analysts say his departure leaves the third-force conservative party facing questions about its survival.
At a press conference at the National Assembly, Lee said he had raised proposals for strengthening and reforming the party after the local elections but had failed to win sufficient support within it. "The responsibility for failing to persuade them lies entirely with me," he said. He added that the party faces political deadlines that cannot be postponed. "Political time waits for no one," he said, explaining that he had concluded the party could not meet those deadlines without agreement on its direction.
The party's entire leadership also stepped down. The Reform Party's constitution and bylaws contain no separate provision for an emergency steering committee. Chun Ha-ram, the party's floor leader, will therefore serve as acting leader and prepare for a national convention to elect the next leadership.
Political observers interpret the "political deadlines that cannot be postponed" cited by Lee as a reference to the 2028 general elections. The remark is seen as reflecting internal disagreement over the party's strategy for that race.
The sharp contraction of the party's political standing after its rout in the local elections is also seen as a factor behind the resignation. The party won just a single seat in local council races. Allegations that Jung Yi-han, its former candidate for Busan mayor, staged a fake assault on himself were also decisive. Criticism of Lee mounted as the Reform Party, which had emphasized political reform, failed to vet its own candidate.
Because the Reform Party has long been seen as a one-man operation built around Lee, some observers say his resignation could shake the party's very existence. For now, there is not even a clear field of candidates to lead the party after him.
A merger with the People Power Party also appears unlikely for now. Because the Reform Party has promoted conservative values distinct from those of the People Power Party, analysts say it would be difficult to find a rationale for a merger while Jang Dong-hyuk remains the People Power Party leader.
