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.
