South Korea: Main opposition holds national convention to pick new leader

Seoul, Aug 22 (IANS) The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) held a national convention Friday to elect a new leader as it still struggles to rejuvenate its image in the aftermath of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid.

The PPP's national convention comes amid lingering internal strife after the failed declaration of martial law by Yoon, who is standing criminal trials on insurrection charges and was a member of the conservative party until his departure in May, following the Constitutional Court's decision to uphold his impeachment in April, Yonhap News Agency reported.

A new leader to be elected later at the convention will be tasked with guiding the party ahead of next year's local elections.

The four-way race for the party leader includes former presidential contender Kim Moon-soo, as well as Representatives Jang Dong-hyeok, Cho Kyoung-tae and Ahn Cheol-soo.

With the party convention taking place after Yoon's removal from office, the candidates' stance on Yoon's impeachment is expected to be a decisive factor in the leadership race.

Kim and Jang, both of whom opposed Yoon's impeachment, are considered the leading candidates.

A recent survey conducted on PPP supporters showed Jang leading with 33 pe rcent, followed by Kim at 30 percent. Ahn and Cho, who had supported Yoon's impeachment, lagged far behind at 8 and 7 percent, respectively.

If no candidate secures a majority in the election, the top two contenders will advance to a runoff.

Should a runoff be held, the finalists will take part in a final televised debate on Saturday, followed by the runoff voting on Aug. 24-25. The new party leader will be confirmed Tuesday.

At Friday's national convention, four members will also be elected to the party's Supreme Council, while one will be elected to the party's youth leadership.

The convention is seen as a pivotal moment for the PPP, with eyes on whether pro-Yoon or non-Yoon figures are elected to the party's leadership, which observers say could affect whether the party sinks further into decline or manages to stage a political rebound.

A recent opinion poll showed that the approval rating for the PPP has remained below 20 per cent for the seventh straight week.

--IANS

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