Lee says he will leave post on Wednesday; debate persists over whether his term had been extended to two years

Lee Seok-yeon, chairman of the Presidential Committee for National Unity [Yonhap]
Lee Seok-yeon, chairman of the Presidential Committee for National Unity [Yonhap]

Lee Seok-yeon, chairman of the Presidential Committee for National Unity, said Thursday that he would step down from the post at the president's behest, citing a fundamental difference in vision with the current administration.

In a Facebook post titled "A message to the people," Lee announced he would leave the chairmanship on Wednesday.

Lee was appointed to the position on Sept. 9 last year for an initial one-year term, which would expire on Wednesday absent any extension.

However, the committee's operating rules were revised at the end of last year to extend members' terms from one year to two, leading some to argue that Lee's tenure had likewise been extended to two years.

"Over the past year — though it was a short time — I worked to achieve national unity on the basis of recognizing the differences each citizen holds and upholding constitutional values," Lee wrote. "I believed that was the path forward for the Republic of Korea and the road to success for the Lee Jae Myung administration."

"However, I came to realize that this government's thinking and philosophy on national unity differ greatly from my own," he added. "My reason for returning to public office was to be loyal to the Constitution, not to be loyal to the administration." He went on to say that "under these circumstances, I now wish to step down in accordance with the president's wishes."

Lee also asked the president to reflect, at least in part, on the candid advice he had offered over the past year, "even when it meant risking discourtesy." He expressed gratitude to the public for their support and said he could not suppress a sense of regret at leaving without having fully carried out his intentions.

Lee, a conservative figure who served as minister of the Ministry of Government Legislation under President Lee Myung-bak, had been openly critical of the administration's policy direction — including calling on President Lee Jae Myung to leave the Democratic Party of Korea if he wished to be a president for all citizens.


sang@heraldcorp.com