SEOUL: South Korea’s resurgent main opposition won the backing of the capital’s popular independent mayor today, giving the left-of-centre party an important boost ahead of a general election in April.
Opinion polls show the ruling conservatives face defeat in the parliamentary polls, and that the party will struggle to hold onto the presidency in another vote in December.
President Lee Myung-bak’s mandatory single five-year term ends in 12 months. A faltering economy and growing wealth divide are the main issues in the elections in Asia’s fourth largest economy.
Lawyer-turned-activist Park Won-soon joined the main opposition Democratic United Party’s (DUP) ranks about six months after winning an election for Seoul mayor, which is considered the country’s second most important job. He had contested that poll as an independent. (Reuters)
