▲ Lee Jun-seok, leader of the minor New Reform Party, announces his resignation during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on Aug. 26, 2026. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) -- The leader of the minor opposition New Reform Party stepped down Wednesday to take responsibility for the party's defeat in the June 3 local elections.

Rep. Lee Jun-seok announced the decision during a press conference at the National Assembly, saying he had made several proposals to reform the party since the elections but failed to gain sufficient support from within.

"This is no one's fault," he said. "The responsibility for failing to persuade others lies entirely with me as the party leader."

The minor party failed to win any of the 16 major mayoral and gubernatorial posts or the 14 parliamentary seats up for grabs in the June 3 elections, winning just one local council seat.

The party fell into further disarray when one of its candidates, Jeong Yi-han, was arrested and indicted on charges of staging an assault on himself, in an apparent attempt to woo voters ahead of the elections.

Rep. Chun Ha-ram, the party's floor leader, is expected to serve as acting party leader following Lee's resignation.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]