Kwon Seong-dong: "Received Authority from Senior Members to Appoint Emergency Committee Chair"

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at a video conference for city and provincial party chairpersons to check typhoon damage held at the National Assembly on the 6th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kwon Hyun-ji] As Park Ju-seon, former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, is reportedly the leading candidate for the new Emergency Response Committee Chairperson of the People Power Party, Kwon Seong-dong, the party’s floor leader acting as the interim party leader, was entrusted with the authority to appoint the committee chairperson by senior members on the 6th.

After concluding a meeting with senior lawmakers with three or more terms at the National Assembly that morning, Kwon told reporters in response to a question about whether the senior members had reached a consensus on the appointment of the Emergency Response Committee Chairperson, "The senior lawmakers have entrusted the authority to the floor leader."

Former Emergency Response Committee Chairperson Joo Ho-young, who was initially a leading candidate, had earlier announced at a press conference that he would not take the position. Meanwhile, Park, a four-term lawmaker from Honam region of the Democratic Party and former Deputy Speaker, was also strongly mentioned as a candidate for the committee chairperson.

Regarding this, Kwon said, "Nothing has been decided yet," and "(The candidate pool) will be announced later once decided." When asked whether the new chairperson would be an incumbent lawmaker or an outsider, he also refrained from answering, saying, "I will say later."

The new Emergency Response Committee Chairperson is expected to be decided between the afternoon of the 7th and the morning of the 8th. Kwon said, "Because mentioning the candidates first and then rejecting them could hurt those individuals, it will be announced late on the 7th or on the morning of the 8th." When asked if there was public opinion within the party that Kwon should continue his role, he replied, "That is not the case."

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending a video conference to check typhoon damage with city and provincial party chairpersons held at the National Assembly on the 6th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Jeong Jin-seok, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, who attended the meeting, also said, "The appointment of the Emergency Response Committee Chairperson is entrusted to Floor Leader Kwon, and we agreed to leave it to him," adding, "The floor leader will listen to the opinions of senior members as well as first- and second-term lawmakers and make a decision after compiling them." When asked if his name was being mentioned as one of the committee chairpersons, Jeong replied, "I have clearly stated that I have no intention to take the position."

Lawmaker Kim Tae-ho, regarding the mention of an outsider candidate, said, "We are keeping all options open, hoping that a good person will come in and be a change agent who can communicate and empathize with the people." He predicted that the new leadership would be formed around September 19-20, after Chuseok.

Lawmaker Jo Hae-jin conveyed the atmosphere of the meeting, saying, "There were also voices of concern about what would happen if a provisional injunction were granted when the new Emergency Response Committee Chairperson is appointed this time."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.