Minor Rebuilding Korea Party recommends ex-Minister Cho Kuk as interim leader

Cho Kuk speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at a hotel in Seoul, Sept. 2. Yonhap

The minor Rebuilding Korea Party on Tuesday decided to recommend former Justice Minister Cho Kuk as its new interim leader to steer the embattled party out of turmoil sparked by a sexual misconduct scandal.

The move came after the party's top leadership stepped down en masse on Sunday, following spokesperson Kang Mi-jeong's resignation in protest of what she called the party's lukewarm response to a series of sexual harassment and workplace bullying cases that had taken place within the party since last year.

"Most of the lawmakers agreed to recommend Cho as the new interim leader to the party affairs committee," floor leader Seo Wang-jin said. "There were differing views but the majority believed Cho should take on the responsibility and guide the party as its key leader."

Cho, who founded and previously led the party, is expected to be formally endorsed as interim leader during a party meeting slated for Thursday.

He currently heads the party's policy think tank after returning to politics last month following a special presidential pardon. He had been serving a two-year prison term for academic fraud involving his children and unlawful interference with a government inspection.

Cho, however, has faced criticism for seemingly distancing himself from the scandal despite being seen as the party's central figure who is widely expected to reclaim the party chairmanship during a national convention in November. (Yonhap)