Popular ex-prosecution chief who hounded South Korean President Moon set to seek job himself
SEOUL (BLOOMBERG) – South Korea’s former top prosecutor whose battles with President Moon Jae-in made him one of the country’s most popular political figures is expected to declare his candidacy to seek the top job himself.
Mr Yoon Seok-youl – who was appointed prosecutor-general by Moon before feuding with the administration and resigning – has called a news conference at 1pm Tuesday (June 29) to “deliver his message to the Korean people.”
He plans to run in the March presidential election, local media including the Yonhap News Agency reported, with members of the conservative opposition People Power Party (PPP)urging him to run under their banner.
Mr Yoon has emerged in opinion polls as the top-ranked candidate to take over for Mr Moon when his single, five-year term ends.
Mr Yoon’s ascension in popularity comes as conservatives look to take back the presidential Blue House, seeking to attract younger voters who believe the current system favours the powerful and politically connected.
South Korea is heading toward what may be its most wide-open presidential race since the advent of full democracy in the late 1980s.
Mr Moon has no clear successor and no current PPP members poll as well for the presidency as Mr Yoon, who is not a party member and helped lead an investigation that led to the impeachment of then conservative President Park Geun-hye in 2016.
The election will likely be fought over populist policies to narrow an income inequality gap that ranks among the highest in the developed world and rein in real estate prices that have left urban housing out of reach for many.
Mr Moon pledged to make housing more affordable when he was elected in 2017, but apartment prices in Seoul have doubled in the last five years and real estate speculation scandals with members of his government have stoked anger.
While Mr Yoon was handpicked by Mr Moon to lead a campaign against corruption, he later faced backlash for launching graft probes that helped force out two justice ministers. Mr Yoon, who resigned in March, has given little indication so far what he might do if he became president.
The top-ranked candidate for Mr Moon’s Democratic Party, Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, has gained support for his signature policy of universal basic income, saying without across-the-board income support to address inequality, the stability of the country’s economy could be threatened.
A PNR Research survey Sunday showed 32.7 per cent of respondents preferred Mr Yoon as the next president, with Mr Lee next about 7 percentage points behind.
Along with Mr Yoon, two other people who served in Moon’s government are also gearing up for a presidential run against the ruling party. Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choe Jae-hyeong – who has clashed with Mr Moon over nuclear power plants – resigned his seat Monday, in a bid for presidency. Moon’s first finance minister, Mr Kim Dong-yeon, is also being considered as a potential opposition candidate.
Join ST’s Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Source: Read Full Article
