ⓒYONHAP News

The ruling People Power Party(PPP) has filed an appeal against a court decision that suspended the party’s interim leader. 

The Seoul Southern District Court earlier on Friday accepted an injunction request by former PPP chair Lee Jun-seok and suspended the party’s emergency steering committee chief Joo Ho-young from his duties until a ruling is made on the fate of the emergency committee. 

The party swiftly filed an appeal against the decision on Friday afternoon. 

Rep. Yoo Sang-bum, the head of the party’s legal assistance team, told reporters that the party will file a complaint with a high court unless the appeal is accepted. 

Yoo criticized the court’s decision as the judge’s abuse of power that infringes freedom of party politics, which is a constitutional value.

The lawmaker also stressed that despite the court’s decision, the party will continue to operate under the emergency committee system as the suspension is limited to the duties of the interim chief. 

Yoo added that Joo will maintain his position as interim chief although his duties are suspended.

The Seoul Southern District Court on Friday said there were tangible shortcomings in the process by which the PPP incapacitated the Supreme Council under Lee's leadership and launched an interim steering committee, which infringes on the rights of party members and ultimately runs contrary to party democracy.

It said the suspension of Lee’s party membership is not enough to construe an “emergency situation” that justified the establishment of the interim leadership. The court even appeared to validate the suspicion that some Supreme Council members created the situation to launch the committee.

In its suspension of Joo from his post, the court expressed concern that Lee could suffer irreparable damage if Joo were to convene a party convention to pick a new leader.

Lee’s party membership was suspended last month over allegations of covering up sexual bribery, which he has denied.

Lee’s legal team touted the court’s decision as a "historic ruling" against a destructive action that violates party democracy and the Constitution. 

An official of Lee's camp on Saturday expressed plans to seek more injunctions to suspend individual members of the committee, if the interim leadership is maintained.