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Cho Kuk, former leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party. / Source: Yonhap News

On September 9, the Rebuilding Korea Party announced its plan to recommend Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Policy Institute and former party leader, as interim emergency committee chief. Despite some dissent, most lawmakers agreed that “taking responsibility and navigating hardships is the essential role of a leader.” The party emphasized it would “return to the spirit of its founding and begin anew” through the interim leadership.

Following a party caucus, Floor Leader Seo Wang-jin told reporters, “A majority of lawmakers have agreed to recommend Cho Kuk to the party committee as emergency chair. The interim leadership will unite internal and external capacities to restore trust and realize reform.” While declining to specify the number of supporting lawmakers, he said the final decision will be made at the party committee, adding, “You may regard it as a very large majority.”

Concerns were raised during the meeting over Cho’s reemergence at this juncture. Seo noted, “Some argued that Cho stepping forward now could lead to significant difficulties. But many also said that as a principal leader, it is his role to take responsibility and guide us through these hardships. That became the majority opinion.”

Cho will decide whether to accept after receiving the recommendation from lawmakers.

Seo also hinted that if the emergency committee is formally established, the party’s political roadmap, including its leadership convention originally scheduled for November, could change. “Once the interim leadership is formed, a new decision-making structure will exist, and (schedule changes) may follow,” he said.