Roh Jae-seung, a co-chair of the main opposition People Power Party(PPP)’s election committee, has stepped down amid a controversy over his past remarks. 

Roh announced the move in a press conference on Thursday while apologizing to those who may have been hurt by his comments. 

He said he should have swiftly acknowledged making the statements and made an apology instead of trying to explain, adding that he failed to live up to public expectations with his immaturity. 

He said he will return to his role as a voter and try to become a seed for change of power by  telling his acquaintances of PPP presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol’s sincerity. 

The 37-year-old entrepreneur made his name in the political circle with his speech for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon during his mayoral by-election campaign in April and was appointed to the presidential election committee on Monday.  

However, he soon came under fire after some of his controversial statements that he made in the past came to the surface, including those disparaging the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and independence activist Kim Gu.