(LEAD) Rep. Lee Chul-gyu takes over as PPP's new secretary general

(ATTN: UPDATES with appointments)

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Lee Chul-gyu was appointed the ruling People Power Party's new secretary general on Monday, as the party fills key posts with those close to President Yoon Suk Yeol after Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon was elected new leader last week.

The secretary general is a key position that supervises the party's budget and organization affairs. As secretary general, Lee will also work as vice chair of the party's committee handling nominations for next year's parliamentary elections.

Reps. Park Seong-min and Bae Hyun-jin, who are also considered part of the pro-Yoon faction, were appointed as vice secretary general for strategic planning, and as vice secretary general for organizational affairs, respectively.

Kim was elected new chairman of the PPP last week with 53 percent of the vote, a victory for President Yoon as he seeks to strengthen his grip on the party ahead of next year's general elections.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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