The main opposition United Future Party(UFP) has appointed its election campaign chief as the leader of its interim leadership committee as it seeks a path forward from its crushing defeat in the parliamentary elections. 

The UFP convened its national committee on Tuesday afternoon to approve the launch of an emergency committee led by Kim Chong-in. 

Nearly half of the 639-member national committee attended the meeting, and 177 of them approved of the 80-year-old veteran politician,while 80 others voted against him. 

Earlier in the day, a scheduled UFP standing national committee meeting that aimed to revise the party's constitution on related matters fell through due to a lack of participants, casting doubt on Kim's appointment. Kim, a former ruling Democratic Party member, called for such a revision as a requirement for him taking the helm of the conservative party. 

The UFP's current constitution stipulates that a national convention should be held in August to elect its new leadership. Kim has insisted the four-month period for the interim leader position is too short for him to try and reform the party. It remains uncertain whether he will accept the party’s decision.