Vice Assembly Speaker Chung agrees to take over as PPP's interim chief

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Vice National Assembly Speaker Chung Jin-suk agreed Wednesday to assume the chairmanship of a new emergency leadership committee to be established at the ruling People Power Party (PPP), the party's floor leader said.

"Chung initially turned down the offer but agreed to take it on the third request," Rep. Kweon Seong-dong told reporters after a general meeting of lawmakers.

Chung, a five-term lawmaker, planned to hold a press conference later Wednesday to announce his decision.

The PPP has been without an official leader since a court suspended the duties of the chair of the now dissolved emergency leadership committee last month, a decision seen as a victory for ousted PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok.

On Monday, the PPP's emergency committee officially broke up, and the party plans to form a new one before the Chuseok fall harvest holiday. The extended Chuseok holiday is set to begin Friday.

The PPP has been in leadership turmoil since its ethics committee suspended former party chairman Lee's membership due to allegations of sexual bribery and an attempted cover-up in July.

Lee has since filed a string of lawsuits to derail the party's move toward the emergency committee, which automatically removes him from office.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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