Chairman of the presidential transition committee Ahn Cheol-soo declared on Wednesday that he will not serve in the next government's Cabinet in order to "relieve pressure" on President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol.

"I've given a lot of thought to my future step (after the transitional committee)... And I made the personal decision to allow the president-elect to expand his wings," Ahn said at a press conference at the presidential transition committee's headquarters in Jongno, Seoul.

"So I decided that it would be better for me not to participate in the Cabinet in order to relieve some of the burdens."

Ahn, who pulled out of the presidential contest less than a week before Election Day to proclaim support for Yoon, had been a strong contender for the new government's prime ministership.

However, Ahn added that in a private meeting with Yoon on Tuesday afternoon, he ordered her to select "the proper person" to carry out the president-wishes elect's as prime minister.

"I will develop a decent plan for the next government as head of the presidential transition committee," Ahn stated.

Ahn also claimed that he had told the president-elect of his plans prior to any request from Yoon since he believed it would relieve the president-elect of some of his responsibilities.

After the transition committee's work concluded with Yoon's inauguration in May, Ahn indicated he will not run in municipal elections in June, instead of taking time to "recharge."

"As you can see in the near term — the last year — and the long term — the last ten years — I need to recharge," Ahn explained.

"Running in an election requires superhuman strength and mental power," Ahn added. "I recognized I'd need some time to refresh in order to focus and serve the people better."

Ahn ran in two elections recently: a by-election for Seoul mayor in April 2021 and the presidential election this year.

Because Ahn's minor opposition People's Party, of which he is chairman, is currently in talks to combine with the new ruling People Power Party, which is associated with Yoon, Ahn said he is looking for political changes.

"There are a lot of things (in the party) that need to be improved, and I believe they need to reform themselves to care about people's livelihoods," Ahn added.

Both major parties are in a position to disappoint the public, and they must modify not only their reputations, but also their conduct, according to Ahn.

"During its five years as the ruling party, the Democratic Party of Korea has disappointed many, as has the People Power Party, which has been widely regarded as supporting the establishment."

The committee chairman indicated he will not run for the People Power Party chairmanship, citing the fact that current Chairman Lee Jun-seok's term is still up.

During the press conference, Ahn also discussed his 15-day experience as the chairman of the presidential transition committee.

"Having the opportunity to lay out all of the things that I have dreamed about in managing the broader state affairs is more beneficial than I thought," Ahn remarked.

"Because the job isn't done yet, I'm reaffirming my resolve to do everything I can to build a good blueprint for the incoming government."

He also expressed his delight in leading the special committee tasked with dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that he hopes to make a difference in society by easing people's burdens and providing support.

In a separate press conference, Ahn expressed his views on the future prime minister's position, saying that the person should be capable and have the leadership to deal with a variety of issues confronting the country, including the economy, balanced regional growth, and sustainability, among others.

Ahn said that a leader who can set long-term goals for the country's future should be considered for the position.

Yoon's administration said it is speeding up efforts to weed out probable candidates for the prime ministership now that he has made his intentions apparent.

"Ahn has given his intentions (to the president-elect), and I can say we are now speeding up the process for the selection of the prime minister," Yoon's spokesman, Kim Eun-hye, said at a press conference held before Ahn's on Wednesday.

According to speculation in political circles and sources from the presidential transition committee, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, a trade expert, former Chief of the Liberal Democratic Party of Korea Kim Han-gil, and Park Joo-sun, a former parliamentary vice-speaker, are being considered for the position now that Ahn is off the list.