A new opinion poll shows former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in second place and narrowing the gap on the frontrunner among likely candidates to succeed South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who has been impeached by parliament
The Realmeter poll commissioned by the Maeil Business Newspaper showed former liberal opposition party leader Moon Jae-in maintaining his lead at 26.1 per cent, compared with 22.2 per cent for Ban.
Ban, who has made several campaign-style appearances since returning to South Korea earlier this month, has narrowed the gap, having polled 21.5 per cent against Moon's 26.8 per cent a week earlier.
Ban said on Thursday that he will make a decision "soon" on his political future.
South Korea has been gripped by political crisis for months, with parliament voting overwhelmingly in December to impeach President Park over an influence-peddling scandal, a decision that must be upheld or overturned by the country's Constitutional Court.
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If the impeachment stands, an election would be held two months later. The election to a single five-year term is currently scheduled to take place on December 20.
