Lee Jun-seok resigned as leader of South Korea’s Reform Party on Aug. 26, 2026, after failing to win enough internal support for an overhaul he had pursued for a little over three months since the June 3 local elections. The party’s leadership also stepped down. Lee accepted full responsibility, saying the political schedule ahead left no room for continued disagreement over the party’s direction. The resignation followed the arrest and indictment of Jeong I-han, the party’s candidate for Busan mayor, over allegations that he arranged for a man to throw a drink at him while campaigning to improve his election prospects. The Reform Party won only one local council seat in the elections. Floor leader Rep. Chun Ha-ram will serve as acting party leader and oversee preparations for a national convention to choose a successor. Lee, who founded the party in 2024 after leaving the leading opposition People Power Party, said he would remain a party member and continue serving as the lawmaker for Dongtan 2 New Town. With three seats in the National Assembly, limited personnel and a heavy reliance on Lee’s political capital, the party faces the task of building a new leadership and establishing a fresh rallying point.