Seoul, Mar 8 (IANS): Representative Kim Gi-hyeon of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) of South Korea, one of the close aides to President Yoon Suk-yeol, was elected as the party's new chief on Wednesday.

In the national convention of the governing conservative party, Kim won 52.93 per cent of the ballots which were cast online and by telephone for four days through Tuesday among party members, Xinhua news agency reported.

Out of the 837,236 party members, 461,313 participated in the voting with a record-high turnout of 55.10 per cent in the party's history.

Kim defeated his rivals by a large margin as his runner-up Ahn Cheol-soo, who dropped out of last year's presidential election to support President Yoon, secured 23.37 per cent votes.

It was followed by Chun Ha-ram, close to the ousted former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok, with 14.98 per cent of support and former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn with 8.72 per cent.

The new party chief would lead the ruling party through the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for April 2024.