Former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo has won the presidential nomination of the largest conservative party in South Korea, the Associated Press reported, BTA reports.
He will face in a tight race against the candidate of the liberals Lee Jae-myeon - considered the favorite in the upcoming elections on June 3.
Kim won the internal party election with 56.5% of the vote, defeating his only rival - former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon. The remaining contenders were eliminated in previous rounds, the conservatives said in a televised statement.
The vote will determine the successor to conservative President Yun Suk-yeol of the People Power Party, who was removed from office through impeachment after the introduction of disputed martial law on December 3. In April, the Constitutional Court upheld the legality of the decision that permanently removed Yun from power.
Kim, although opposed to impeachment, said he respected the court's decision. Analysts say he will likely seek a unity with other conservative forces, including former Prime Minister Han Deok-su, to avoid scattering the right-wing vote and increase his chances against Yi.
The split in the People Power Party has deepened precisely because of the impeachment. Han Dong-hoon, who heads a minority, reformist faction in the party, supported Yun's removal, and it was his supporters' votes that proved crucial in achieving the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament.
Observers say Han would be a stronger candidate against Yi, as he has the potential to attract votes from moderate voters as well as wavering voters - a group that makes up 30-40% of the population and seeks an end to political polarization.
Yi Jae-myeon is leading in opinion polls, but he has been charged with five counts, including corruption. If elected, the prosecution against him is likely to be suspended, as South Korean presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution.
Yi's campaign suffered a blow recently after the Supreme Court ordered a retrial of a case against him for violating the election code. It is unclear whether the case will be concluded before the election, but the topic will certainly be used by his political opponents.
According to a survey by the “Realmaster“ agency on Monday, Yi enjoys nearly 50% support, while Kim receives only 13%. The outcome of the election, however, largely depends on the development of the legal proceedings against the liberal candidate.