▲ This photo shows Ha Jung-woo (L), presidential secretary for artificial intelligence policy and future planning, and presidential spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo at a reception room in Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on April 27, 2026. (Yonhap)

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Lee approves resignation of 2 presidential officials expected to run in by-elections

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday approved the resignation of two senior presidential officials widely expected to run in upcoming parliamentary by-elections.

Lee accepted letters of resignation from Ha Jung-woo, presidential secretary for artificial intelligence policy and future planning, and presidential spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo, asking Ha to "work for the people and national interest," his office said.

Ha is expected to run for a parliamentary seat in the southeastern city of Busan, while Jeon is speculated to run for the Asan constituency in South Chungcheong Province in the June 3 by-elections, both on the ruling Democratic Party (DP) ticket.

More than 10 parliamentary seats will be up for grabs in the parliamentary by-elections to be held alongside the quadrennial local elections, potentially serving as the first major bellwether of public support for the Lee administration since its launch in June last year.

The main opposition People Power Party has strongly criticized Ha's departure less than a year after his appointment, with party spokesperson Choi Bo-yun accusing the DP of "political collusion" to use the senior presidential post to launch his political career.

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