Rep. Lee Sang-min quits party in protest of DP chief

Democratic Party Rep. Lee Sang-min is seated at a parliamentary foreign affairs committee meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Nov. 23. [YONHAP]

A five-term lawmaker quit the liberal Democratic Party (DP) on Sunday, claiming the DP has become a personal party of leader Lee Jae-myung with pro-Lee extremist members exercising too much influence.

"I am parting ways with the Democratic Party as of today," Rep. Lee Sang-min said in a statement to the press. "Since Chairman Lee Jae-myung took over as leader, the party has become Lee Jae-myung's personal party and a party of Gaeddal, let alone becoming a better party."

Gaeddal, short for "daughters of reform" in Korean, refers to rank-and-file DP members extremely loyal to party leader Lee. They have often come under criticism for taking collective actions, such as online attacks on anyone criticizing the leader.

One of the non-mainstream DP lawmakers, Lee Sang-min has hinted at the possibility in recent months of leaving the DP, prompting speculation that he could join the ruling People Power Party (PPP) ahead of April's parliamentary elections.

Lee said he will look for a "new path" and think about what course of action he will follow.

Yonhap