SEOUL: An opinion poll released on Monday in South Korea showed former U. N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in second place and narrowing the gap on the frontrunner among likely candidates to succeed 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 percent, compared with 22.2 percent 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 percent against Moon’s 26.8 percent a week earlier.
Ban said on Thursday that he will make a decision « soon » on his political future.
On Monday, Ban called President Park around 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) to inform her officially of his return, Ban’s spokesman Lee Do-woon said in a press release.
« I should have visited you in person. It is unfortunate that the situation is like this, » Ban was cited as saying. « I hope you will manage the situation well. «
Park was also cited in the release as congratulating Ban for his past decade working for the U.
