Hwang Woo-yea, who was nominated as the new leader to head an emergency leadership committee of the ruling People Power Party, speaks in front of reporters in this October 2023 file photo. Yonhap

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Monday named a retired former lawmaker to head an emergency leadership committee tasked with organizing a national convention to elect a new party leader following a crushing defeat in recent parliamentary elections.

Rep. Yun Jae-ok, the PPP's floor leader and the party's acting chairman, announced the decision to designate Hwang Woo-yea, a former five-term lawmaker now serving as standing advisor to the party, to lead the emergency committee.

Hwang will be entrusted to finalize the rules for electing the new leadership until the national convention expected to take place as early as June.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yun said he believes Hwang can "manage the convention fairly" as a former five-term lawmaker of good "virtue and character."

"We looked for candidates based on the following three criteria: someone who would manage the national convention fairly, someone well-versed in politics and the party, and someone who could be trusted and well-respected to represent the party," Yun said.

The PPP has been led by an emergency committee since August 2022 after former party chairman Lee Jun-seok was removed as leader. The previous committee led by Han Dong-hoon broke up following the party's crushing defeat in the general elections earlier this month.

Hwang is a retired veteran politician who served as former chairman of the Saenuri Party, the PPP's former name, from 2012 to 2014. He also served as prime minister and education minister under former President Park Geun-hye. (Yonhap)