Minju's Party Charter Amendment Allowing Exception Clause for Party Leader Resignation Deadline Passed with 84% Approval

The Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea announced on the 17th that a party constitution amendment excluding the resignation deadline for the party leader running in the presidential election has been passed.

On the same day, Eo Gi-gu, Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party Central Committee, stated that out of 559 central committee members, 501 voted, with 422 (84.2%) in favor, approving the party constitution amendment. The amendment was finalized by the Central Committee's resolution that day. There were 79 (15.77%) votes against.

Earlier that day, the Democratic Party held a Central Committee meeting at the central party office and conducted an online vote on the party constitution amendment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. among the central committee members.

The amendment maintains the clause requiring the party leader or supreme council member to resign at least one year before running in the presidential election but adds a proviso stating, "In cases of special and considerable reasons, the resignation deadline may be set differently by resolution of the Party Affairs Committee."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 17th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

As a result, if Leader Lee successfully runs for re-election at the next party convention, he can retain his position as party leader and exert influence through the local elections scheduled for June 2026.

Article 80 of the party constitution, which automatically suspends the duties of those involved in corruption upon indictment, was also amended to delete this clause. Additionally, the regulation on "strengthening party membership rights" was revised. The method for electing the floor leader changed from the previous "majority vote of the total members" to a combined vote of "80% from total members and 20% from party members with voting rights," and the name of the National Delegate Convention was changed to the "National Party Members Convention."

Earlier that morning, Leader Lee said in his greeting at the Central Committee meeting, "Expanding the role of party members strengthens elements of direct democracy," adding, "I believe this is an inevitable trend of the times and the prevailing current."