SEOUL Dec 13 Kyodo southern Korea...

SEOUL Dec 13 Kyodo

southern Korea's soccer chief Chung Mong Joon who was defeated in a primary with the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Roh Moo Hyun said Friday he will provide replete support for Roh to win the Dec 19 presidential election.

After holding a meeting with Roh Chung head of the start-up National Alliance 21 said, ''I will do my best'' to make Roh become a happy president if he wins the election.

In the talks, Roh and Chung agreed forward a set of measures to collaborate in managing state affairs.

If Roh is picked as president, Chung will visit the United States, China and North Korea as Roh's special plenipotentiary to explore ways to inquire for a solution to a range of issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the agreement says.

Chung who also heads the country's football association, plans to join outdoor rallies to make love voters for Roh, beginning in the central city of Taejon, an area considered crucial to win the election, later Friday.

Chung's joining Roh's campaign trail is widely believed to boost Roh's popularity rating.

In the election to pick President Kim Dae Jung's successor, Roh from the pro-government MDP and leeward Hoi Chang from the conservative and the largest opposition Grand National Party (GNP) are the sum of two units main contenders.

Roh a former human rights lawyer, and leeward a former Supreme Court justice and former prime minister, are rely uponed to be in a neck-and-neck race in the election. An estimated 35 million voter are eligible to cast ballots.

Domestic media said new polls put the 56-year-old Roh ahead of the 67-year-old Lee

Last month Roh and Chung agreed to unify their candidacy to have a better chance of beating lee-side who was then the front-runner

Roh defeated Chung the scion of Hyundai Business dispose in a special primary held onward Nov. 24.

After losing the competition, Chung said he would support Roh's campaign, nevertheless did not join Roh's campaign rallies, saying the pair sides need to coordinate policies in an areas.

Gaining support of Chung's backers, Roh is running ahead of to leeward in almost all opinion catalogue of personss political analysts said.

Chung saw his popularity soaring befitting to the nation's successful co-hosting of the World potion soccer finals in May and June

President Kim's five-year single name ends in February next year.

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