Bowing Ruling Party Emergency Committee "Apologizes to the People and Party Members"... Reelected Kim Seok-ki as Secretary-General

First Emergency Committee Meeting Held at National Assembly on the Morning of the 18th
Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong: "Efforts to Resolve Party Crisis as Soon as Possible"

Joo Ho-young, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 18th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporters Bomryeong Geum and Hyunji Kwon] Kim Seok-ki, a two-term lawmaker, has been appointed as the Secretary-General of the newly launched People Power Party Emergency Response Committee. It is analyzed that the appointment was made considering his prior experience as the party's Deputy Head of Organization, enabling him to be practically involved, and the relatively short duration of the emergency committee. Joo Ho-young, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman, apologized to the public, stating he would "regain the original intention" during the first emergency committee meeting held amid unresolved internal party turmoil.

Chairman Joo stated after the emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 18th, "We considered that the Secretary-General's term might be short." Typically, the Secretary-General is a lawmaker with three or more terms, but there was a precedent when Park Wan-soo, a first-term lawmaker, was appointed Secretary-General during Hwang Kyo-ahn's leadership of the Liberty Korea Party, so this is not considered an unusual case.

Park Jeong-ha, who served as the Blue House Press Secretary and Spokesperson during the Lee Myung-bak administration, was appointed as the Emergency Response Committee spokesperson, and Jeong Hee-yong, a 'Pro-Yoon' faction lawmaker who worked as the Political Affairs Team Leader of the Secretariat at the Presidential Transition Committee, was appointed as Chief of Staff.

At the first emergency committee meeting, Chairman Joo and the committee members bowed their heads in unison and apologized for the recent internal party situation. A new backdrop with the pledge "We will be reborn through innovation and change" was hung in the meeting room.

In his opening remarks, Chairman Joo said, "Before the formal launch of the emergency committee, I would like to first reflect and apologize to the public and party members," emphasizing, "We sincerely apologize and reflect on the conflicts and divisions within the party, the failure to properly resolve these conflicts and divisions leading to court cases, the failure to promptly convey to the public the perception of being a competent ruling party that takes good care of people's livelihoods, and inappropriate remarks and behaviors that caused public disapproval."

Won Seong-dong, the floor leader who received a 'vote of confidence' at the lawmakers' meeting, also said with a serious expression, "I will strive to quickly resolve the party's crisis and overcome the economic crisis."