SEOUL-- The ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Friday declared an "emergency" situation for the party at a national committee meeting of standing members Friday, paving the way for the PPP to switch to an emergency leadership system.

The PPP committee held a vote and concluded that the party's current situation constitutes an "emergency" under the party charter, according to party officials, giving the green light to break up the current one-man leadership and shift to the emergency committee system.

The motion, which is expected to prevent the suspended party chief, Lee Jun-seok, from returning as party chief, was endorsed by 29 out of 40 members who attended the meeting.

The committee also approved of amending the party charter to grant the acting chairman the right to nominate emergency leadership chair candidates.

With Friday's conclusion, the PPP is expected to hold a plenary national committee meeting next Tuesday to complete the leadership transition and form an interim leadership committee comprising 15 members, including a chair.

Source: Yonhap News Agency