The rare meeting came after the usually hard-to-reach politician was criticized for not communicating enough with other lawmakers over reform measures, although the party picked her Monday to lead an emergency council. Adding to the pressure was the defection of two Seoul GNP lawmakers who had demanded the front-runner play a key role in disbanding the GNP and establishing a new party for a complete facelift, and more lawmakers are known to be considering quitting the party.

"There is basically no difference between their loyalty (and mine) for the party. I told them to make efforts, and put their strength together to make changes for the party beyond the level of creating a new party," Park told reporters, without elaborating on the specific measures.

Park, who earlier pledged a complete facelift tantamount to creating a new party, has opposed changing the 14-year-old party's name.

The GNP earlier this week decided to launch an emergency council and picked the popular female politician as its chief to carry out a complete overhaul before the April elections. Former leader Hong Joon-pyo quit last week under pressure from reformist members who demanded a new party be formed to shed the GNP's image of caring only for the rich.

Lawmakers loyal to Park, however, opposed that idea, claiming a new party would only intensify power struggles and further weaken the party. 

Park was dubbed "the queen of elections" after she played a key role in the 2004 elections by reviving the then-hopeless GNP, which had been hit by a bribery scandal and an unsuccessful impeachment move against late President Roh Moo-hyun. That sparked strong public backlash against the then-opposition party that controlled a majority in the parliament.

She has, however, stayed away from party affairs for years because of soured relations with President Lee Myung-bak, after she lost to Lee in the party's 2007 primary to select a presidential candidate. 

(Yonhap News)