[News Today] HAN STEPS DOWN AS PPP CHAIR

[LEAD]
Following the impeachment motion, People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, pressured to resign, officially stepped down today. The PPP will now run in an emergency leadership structure. Meanwhile, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung continues to urge the PPP to join the proposed bipartisan body aimed at stabilizing state affairs.

[REPORT]
People Power Party chief Han Dong-hoon has stepped down.

This comes 146 days after he was elected to lead the ruling party in a party convention in July.

In a press conference held Monday morning, Han said it has become impossible for him to fulfill his duties as party leader, as all members of the party’s supreme leadership council resigned.

He also apologized to the public for the pain caused by the martial law crisis and expressed regret to his supporters hurt by the impeachment.

Han Dong-hoon / Chair, People Power Party
I did my best to find a better way than impeachment, but failed. This is my fault. I am sorry.

But, he said he doesn't regret backing the impeachment, stressing there will be no future for conservatives if they agree with far-right activists citing the conspiracy theory of election fraud as a reason for the martial law declaration.

Following Han’s resignation, the PPP will transition into an emergency leadership system. Floor Leader Kweon Seong-dong will assume the role of acting chairman and launch a process to select the head of the emergency leadership committee.

The Democratic Party again urged the ruling party to accept its leader’s proposal to form a bipartisan consultative body on stabilizing state affairs.

As the PPP has already rejected the proposal, the DP said the ruling party could take full control of the discussions and urged them to at least form a council focused on the economy and people's livelihoods.

Lee Jae-myung / Chair, Democratic Party
I again ask PPP to push aside calculations and join us in either the bipartisan consultative body or economy-focused council.

While extending an olive branch to the PPP regarding his proposal, DP leader Lee Jae-myung strongly criticized the ruling party for failing to reflect on the martial law crisis and defending what he called extreme measures.