The ruling People Power Party(PPP) will launch an emergency steering committee after party chair Kim Gi-hyeon resigned in the face of mounting pressure over sinking approval ratings ahead of April’s general elections.

Acting party chief and floor leader Yun Jae-ok, who met with a group of senior PPP representatives Thursday morning, said the party will seek to swiftly form an interim leadership cadre after determining that there is insufficient time to properly elect a new party chair.

The acting chief said the party will look for a candidate who the public can relate to while meeting their expectations, and possesses the competence to lead the party to election victory as the emergency leader.

Yun added that the pool of potential candidates is not limited to politicians.

Kim's resignation was followed by offers to step down from appointed Supreme Council member Kim Yea-ji as well as appointed party officials, policy chief Yu Eui-dong and secretary general Lee Man-hee.

During Thursday's Supreme Council meeting, the acting chief said, however, that they will be asked to stay on to prevent a vacuum in party affairs and a decision on their resignations will be left to the incoming interim leadership.

Asked whether the former party chief should have either followed the lead of PPP Rep. Chang Je-won this week in announcing that he would not seek reelection or declared that he will run in a district unfavorable to the party, Yun merely said that his decision to open a door to reform should be respected.