4-term lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon declares bid for ruling party leadership

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) declared his bid for party leadership Tuesday, vowing to lead the party to victory in the 2024 general elections and help the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol succeed.

The PPP will hold a national convention March 8 to pick its new chair. The PPP has been led by an emergency leadership committee since its former chairman Lee Jun-seok was ousted in August after he was suspended of his party membership over allegations of sexual bribery and an attempted cover-up.

Kim said he has the leadership quality to win the next parliamentary elections and can communicate well with Yoon so as to help bring the party together.

"If I become a party leader, I will unite the party through communication with different groups within the party," Kim said in a news conference.

Kim also noted he did not leave the conservative party when former President Park Geun-hye was impeached in 2017 in a far-reaching corruption scandal and continued to protect the PPP.

Observers say Kim, a four-term lawmaker, appears to have the support of Rep. Chang Je-won, one of Yoon's closest confidants.

Other than Kim, Reps. Kweon Seong-dong, Ahn Cheol-soo, Yoon Sang-hyun and Cho Kyoung-tae, as well as former PPP lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Yoo Seong-min, are expected to run for the party leadership.

nyway@yna.co.kr
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