Seoul: Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung stepped down from the party chairmanship Wednesday to run for president in the June 3 election, triggered by the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee, considered a front-runner for the upcoming presidential election, announced his decision to resign, with the nation's largest party expecting Lee to announce his presidential bid as early as Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee is considered a leading candidate in the election, though he is at the heart of several scandals, including a land development scandal in Seongnam, south of Seoul. In 2022, he won the chairmanship of the DP after losing the presidential race to Yoon by a thin margin.