South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has tendered his resignation from his position following the ruling People Power Party’s crushing defeat in the parliamentary elections, several local media outlets reported today, citing the presidential office.
All top presidential aides, including the chief of staff and the first deputy chief of policy, have submitted their resignations, except the aides in the National Security Office.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stated that he humbly accepts the will of the people expressed in the parliamentary elections and will exert his utmost efforts to reform state affairs, achieve economic stability, and improve the people’s livelihoods, according to the presidential office.
The elections, held every four years to select 300 members of the National Assembly, took place at 14,259 polling stations across the Asian nation on Wednesday to allow voters to cast their ballots for 254 district seats and 46 proportional representation seats.
It is worth noting that the broader liberal bloc in the country, including the main opposition Democratic Party and the Party for People’s Power, won more than three-fifths of the seats in the parliamentary elections, widely seen as a midterm referendum on President Yoon’s administration.
South Korea’s ruling People Power Party suffered a significant defeat in the parliamentary elections, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other top officials.
Yoon pledged to respect the electorate’s decision and focus on implementing reforms and improving economic stability. The election outcome is viewed as a significant assessment of the president’s leadership halfway through his term.