Reform Party names Secretary-General Lee Ki-in as emergency committee chief

Cheon Ha-ram says Lee has 'precise grasp' of internal affairs and party operations

Lee Ki-in, named Monday as the Reform Party's emergency committee chairman. [Yonhap]

The Reform Party has appointed Secretary-General Lee Ki-in as chairman of its emergency steering committee.

Cheon Ha-ram, the Reform Party's acting leader and floor leader, held a press briefing at the National Assembly on Monday and said Lee was "the best person to swiftly stabilize the Reform Party."

Lee's term as emergency committee chairman began immediately and runs through July 27, 2027 — the remainder of former party leader Lee Jun-seok's term. Cheon said Lee was well suited for the role because he had served as the party's founding preparatory committee chairman, secretary-general and senior supreme council member, giving him "a precise grasp of the party's internal situation and operations."

Cheon added that Lee was "a prepared emergency committee chairman who can immediately begin the work of normalizing and reforming the party without any warm-up or orientation period," and that his high standing among party members would allow him to carry out the reform effort effectively.

Cheon went on to say he hoped the party would "turn this into an opportunity to win greater love and support from the public through reform," and pledged to do his utmost to help normalize the party "with a humble and modest attitude."

Former Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial candidate Jo Eung-cheon had also been mentioned as a possible emergency committee chairman. On this, Cheon said the fact that party members had approved the formation of the emergency committee by an overwhelming margin of more than 90 percent reflected a desire for swift normalization. "In that respect, Lee Ki-in — who can get straight to work on party affairs and reform without a separate warm-up period — is a fitting choice," he said.

Cheon also said that while the major two parties could get by with an outside emergency committee chairman who simply delivers a message and offers broad direction, the Reform Party's situation was different. "There are many issues that need to be resolved through close communication and hands-on management — it is not something that can be handled just by having a prominent outside figure come in and issue statements," he said.

Reform Party acting leader and floor leader Cheon Ha-ram announces the appointment of Secretary-General Lee Ki-in as emergency committee chairman at a press conference at the National Assembly on Monday. [Yonhap]

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