The Reform Party appointed former Secretary-General Lee Gi-in as emergency committee chairperson. Chairperson Lee will lead the party until the end of former leader Lee Jun-seok's remaining term at the end of July next year.
Reform Party floor leader Cheon Ha-ram held a press conference at the National Assembly on the morning of the 14th and said, "Chairperson Lee Gi-in is a prepared emergency leader who will promptly embark on normalizing the party and undertaking renewal without a preparation or familiarization period," explaining the reason for the appointment.
Cheon went on to note, "The chairperson enjoys strong confidence from party members and key stakeholders, and has deep affection and pride in the Reform Party, so at a time when there is speculation about various futures of the party, Lee will firmly set the party's center and direction."
Cheon added, "I hope the chairperson will swiftly normalize the party's emergency situation and, through renewal, create an opportunity to turn adversity into blessing by earning the love of party members and the public."
Former leader Lee Jun-seok resigned from his post on the 26th of last month, citing responsibility for controversies such as Busan mayoral candidate Jeong I-han's "staged incident," and the fact that proposals for strengthening and renewing the party after the June 3 local elections failed to gain traction within the party.
Initially, former lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon, who ran as the Reform Party's Gyeonggi governor candidate in the June 3 local elections, was strongly considered for the new emergency committee chairperson post, but it did not come to pass.