The Korea Herald

지나쌤

People's Party to pick new leadership in August

By a2017001

Published : May 23, 2017 - 14:40

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The minor opposition People's Party will elect its new leader in August, its spokeswoman said Tuesday, as it strives to regroup in the wake of a defeat in this month's presidential election.

Ko Yeon-ho said that the center-left party will hold a national convention in August to fill the party's top post that has been left vacant since former leader Park Jie-won resigned on May 10 to take responsibility for the election debacle.

This photo, taken on Jan. 12, 2017, shows Ko Yeon-ho, spokeswoman of the People`s Party, speaking during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. (Yonhap) This photo, taken on Jan. 12, 2017, shows Ko Yeon-ho, spokeswoman of the People`s Party, speaking during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. (Yonhap)

The party is expected to form an emergency panel soon to steer the party until the leadership election.

Party members have been divided over the panel's role and who should take its helm. Some argue that the panel should be tasked with reforming the party following the defeat, while others say it should just "manage" party affairs until the new leadership is formed.

In the May 9 presidential poll, Ahn Cheol-soo, the party's candidate once seen as a major challenger to Moon Jae-in of the liberal Democratic Party, ranked third, garnering 21.4 percent of the vote, 2.6 percentage points lower than second-place Hong Joon-pyo of the conservative Liberty Korea Party. Moon garnered 41.1 percent of the vote. (Yonhap)