Liberty Korea Party names new officials for party, presidential candidate

SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The conservative Liberty Korea Party on Saturday appointed its new secretary-general and a chief aide for its standard-bearer in the upcoming presidential election.

Rep. Lee Cheol-woo was named the new secretary-general of the party, while Rep. Yoon Han-hong was named the chief of staff for Hong, the party said.

The appointments came one day after South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Hong Joon-pyo won the party primary to be named the presidential candidate of the former ruling party in the May 9 election.

Both Lee and Yoon are said to be close to the presidential candidate.

The appointments also came one day after the party's former interim chief In Myung-jin quit, immediately following the end of the party primary.

In, a Christian pastor with no significant political background, had been asked to steer the conservative party in the wake of a massive corruption scandal that has led to the removal and arrest of former President Park Geun-hye.

The party has apparently decided to leave the post of the party chief vacant after Hong called himself the boss, at least until the presidential election.

The party said it has also named a professor from Dongseo University in the southern port city of Busan the head of what it called the retinue of its presidential candidate.
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