Amid internal turmoil caused by a sexual misconduct scandal within the party, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party has transitioned to an emergency leadership committee system following the collective resignation of its leadership. Both inside and outside the party, there is growing speculation that Cho Kuk, Director of the Institute for Innovation Policy, may be appointed as the chairperson of the emergency committee.
According to political sources on September 8, the Innovation Party held a closed-door emergency caucus at the National Assembly that day, discussing the schedule for convening the party executive committee in order to transition to an emergency committee system. According to the party's constitution and regulations, the executive committee must be convened to shift to an emergency committee system.
The previous day, acting leader Kim Sunmin and the party leadership collectively resigned, taking responsibility for the sexual misconduct scandal within the party. On September 7, Kim held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly and announced, "To ensure strict punishment for the perpetrator and full recovery for the victim, all members of the Supreme Council, including myself, will step down." After the press conference, Supreme Council member Hwang Myungpil told reporters, "It will not take long to convene the executive committee to form the emergency committee."
The Innovation Party plans to convene the executive committee as soon as possible to appoint an emergency committee chairperson and operate under the emergency committee system until a new leadership is elected at an early party convention. Baek Sunhee, the party's spokesperson for the National Assembly, stated, "The principles and direction for forming the emergency committee are focused on restoring trust and driving innovation for victims, party members, and the public."
The emergency committee chairperson will have the same authority as the party leader, and the committee will consist of one chairperson, two vice chairpersons, and up to ten committee members.
Some lawmakers have reportedly suggested that Director Cho should take on the role of emergency committee chairperson to provide stability and responsibly resolve the party's internal crisis.
If Director Cho is appointed as the emergency committee chairperson, his return as party leader will come sooner than originally planned, as he had intended to return at the party convention scheduled for November. All eyes are now on whether Director Cho's leadership will be put to the test and whether he will be able to directly steer the party through the sexual misconduct scandal and internal turmoil as the new emergency committee chairperson.
Previously, former spokesperson Kang Mijeong raised concerns that the party was passive in addressing the sexual misconduct case and that victims were being disadvantaged, leading her to leave the Innovation Party on September 4.
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