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John Linton, who also goes by the name Ihn Yo-han, departs from the National Assembly’s press halls after announcing his resignation as a lawmaker for the conservative People Power Party. (Yonhap)

John Linton, better known as Ihn Yo-han in Korea, announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down as a lawmaker for the People Power Party (PPP).

In his announcement, he expressed his “hope to conclude a year and a half of activity in parliamentary politics, leave my position as a National Assembly member, and return to my main profession.”

In a press conference at the National Assembly press center that day, Linton stressed that “political activities based purely on partisan logic are causing difficulties for the public and creating an obstacle to national development.”

“The only way national unity can be achieved is when we leave behind black-and-white ‘bloc logic,’” he said.

Linton also said the “unfortunate developments that have continued over the last year since the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s martial law declaration are something that needs to be overcome for the sake of the Republic of Korea’s future.”

“There is no change without sacrifice. I want to start by setting aside all vested interests and returning to my profession to contribute to national unity and national development,” he continued.

Linton, who is a physician, said he wished to “carry on the spirit of my forebears who have contributed and dedicated themselves to the Republic of Korea for the past 130 years.”

“Humanitarian practice in particular is a paramount value that I must uphold going forward,” he added.

Linton reportedly informed the PPP leadership of his intent to resign a day earlier.

In a meeting with reporters on Wednesday, PPP supreme council senior member Shin Dong-uk explained, “The party leader made great efforts to dissuade [Linton] this morning, but he explained that he could no longer continue performing his role as a lawmaker in a political situation that was being pushed in one direction, and that he felt he should express his views in this way.”

Shin further explained Linton’s message as expressing his intent to “abandon vested interests and step down due to the need for someone to make a sacrifice with regard to the situation between the ruling and opposition parties, which has left the National Assembly unable to function normally.”

Linton’s parliamentary career began when he was elected as a proportional representation lawmaker in the general election on April 10 of last year. A Korean citizen named in 2012 as the Republic of Korea’s “first special naturalization subject,” Linton was appointed in October 2023 to head a PPP reform committee during Kim Gi-hyeon’s period as party leader. Conflict ensued, and his time leading internal reform efforts under the Yoon administration ended with him stepping down around 40 days after his appointment.

With Linton’s announcement of his resignation, his seat in the National Assembly is expected to pass to the attorney Lee So-hee, a member of the PPP special organizational reinforcement committee whose number is next on the proportional representation list.

By Jang Na-rye, staff reporter; Jeon Gwang-joon, staff reporter

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