Yoon accepts election defeat, prime minister and aides offer to resign

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Published: 11 Apr. 2024, 11:14 Updated: 11 Apr. 2024, 16:04

Yoon accepts election defeat, prime minister and aides offer to resign

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, left, speaks in a Cabinet meeting at the government complex in central Seoul Thursday morning, addressing the general election results. [NEW1]

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and presidential aides offered to resign Thursday morning following the conservative People Power Party (PPP)’s crushing defeat in Wednesday's general election.

Han took responsibility for the PPP's defeat after the liberal Democratic Party (DP) earned a landslide victory. Presidential chief of staff Lee Kwan-seop said in a briefing at the Yongsan presidential office Thursday that Han relayed his intention to resign to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Han was said to have expressed his gratitude to the president during their conversation.

Likewise, Lee and two other senior presidential aides also offered to resign over the election loss.

The DP and its satellite party retained a majority in the 300-member National Assembly, securing a total of 175 seats.

Yoon, according to Lee, relayed that he believes that the results of the general election are the public's evaluation of the performance of state affairs, noting that there will be "time to reflect on the causes."

Yoon said he will "humbly honor the will of the people expressed through the general election" and plans to "reform state affairs" and do his best to "stabilize the economy and people's livelihood."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]