Yoon Seok-youl Wins South Korea Opposition's Presidential Primary

On Friday, the South Koreans biggest conservative opposition People Power Party named Yoon Seok-youl, a former prosecutor general, as its candidate for the presidential election in March, according to NIKKEI ASIA.

Yoon Seok-youl  will oppose President Moon Jae-Democratic in's Party's Lee Jae-myung, as well as other candidates such as Ahn Cheol-soo, a moderate running for the third time. Moon will not be able to run for president again because South Korean presidents are only allowed to serve for five years.

"People chose me, a political novice, to run for president. I am confident that I will win the election "In his acceptance speech, Yoon remarked. "This presidential race pits Yoon Seok-youl, who has common sense, against Lee Jae-myung, who has gibberish. It's a fight between a populist and a rationalist."

Since coming to power in May 2017, Moon has worked to reconciliate with North Korea and has supervised an economy that has been resilient to the virus but has been plagued by skyrocketing property prices and family debt.

In polls, Yoon and Lee of the DP are neck and neck. In a Gallup Korea poll this week on who should lead the country, Lee received 26% of the vote, just ahead of Yoon, who received 24%.

According to analysts, the fight between Lee and Yoon will be close, as more people demand a change of leadership.

"It comes down to whether you want a new ruling party or not," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University. "People who want a new ruling party are roughly 20% more likely than those who do not. For the DP, it's a tough fight."

Former President Park Geun-hye, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, and Hyundai Motor Group Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo are among the strong politicians and business moguls Yoon Seok-youl has investigated.

He's also been a constant thorn in Moon's side, battling with him on probes into his advisers and the government's efforts to curtail prosecutors' authority. In March, the prosecutor resigned, alleging that under Moon's liberal government, principles and law and order had disintegrated.