Rep. Yohan Ihn of the main opposition People Power Party announced his departure from the National Assembly on Wednesday, having served about 1 1/2 years of his four-year term.
The 66-year-old physician-turned-politician expressed that he would relinquish his authority and return to his previous job to "contribute to social unity and national development," as he told reporters at the National Assembly, adding that the partisanship rampant in South Korea's political arena has hampered both.
Ihn also said the country must overcome the "unfortunate events" that have been taking place since former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law imposition in the late evening of Dec. 3, 2024.
Rep. Shin Dong-uk of the People Power Party told reporters after the announcement that Ihn's resignation came amid his party being "dragged around" by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's majority, which led Ihn to conclude he could no longer function as a member of the National Assembly.
Democratic Party Rep. Park Soo-hyun said in a statement that his party would "take Ihn's observations seriously," adding that the party will work to explore the parliament's role in achieving national unity.
Ihn made his political debut as a proportional representative in the 2024 general election, with his term set to end in May 2028.
There will not be a by-election, as parties can replace Assembly members elected via proportional representation if they resign or lose their seats by other means.
Former Sejong City Council member Lee So-hee will succeed Ihn, with the main opposition party retaining its 107 seats out of 298 currently occupied in the Assembly.
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