The conservative minority Liberty Forward Party changed its name to the Forward Unification Party and elected Rhee In-je as new chairman.

"I have been tasked to take over the helm of this drifting party,” Rhee said, after being elected in the party’s national convention on Tuesday.

The sixth-term lawmaker, who was the party’s emergency leadership council chief, won 934 out of 1,103 votes.

The party also changed its name, as well as the party platform, in a pledge to promote peaceful unification and to expand its political leverage, according to spokesperson Moon Jeong-lim.

“Unification is a major task for our nation but both leading parties are either neglecting or disapproving of the idea,” Rhee said.

Founder and former leader of the LFP Lee Hoi-chang recently announced his defection after the party’s election defeat and amid his conflict with interim chief Rhee.


By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)