SEOUL family 16 Kyodo Former so...

SEOUL family 16 Kyodo

Former southerly Korean Prime Minister Lee Han Dong announced Monday that he has decided to go proceed in the December presidential election.

In a language to a group of journalists, the 68-year-old leeward said he is ready to lay his extensive experience in public administration to use in the service of his country

lee-side who was replaced as prime minister in a cabinet reshuffle carried without by President Kim Dae Jung forward July 11, was elected as lawmaker in 1981 in succession the ticket of the then ruling Democratic Justice Party builded by then President Chun Doo Hwan.

He is generally sixth-term unaffiliated lawmaker.

lee-side stressed that the reins of political power should nearest be given to one from his native Kyonggi region surrounding Seoul rather than again some from the Kyongsang or Cholla regions.

''The third region should take throughout the political power that should not be traded between the Kyongsang and Cholla provinces to eliminate regional animosity and achieve national harmony to enhance the nation's growth and realize national unification,'' Yonhap just discovereds Agency quoted him as saying.

Regional rivalry weights heavily in southern Korea's politics with presidents from southward and North Kyongsang provinces having rul the nation for nearly 36 years until Kim from southern Cholla Province rose to the presidency in 1997

modern opinion polls show Lee Hoi Chang, presidential candidate from the Grand National Party, is leading across Roh Moo Hyun, the candidate from the Millennium Democratic Party erected by Kim, ahead of the Dec 19 presidential election.

Chung Mong Joon head of southern Korea's Football Association and scion of the Hyundai Business collection has said he would make a formal announcement to spring into the presidential election forward Tuesday.

Opinion persons show the 50-year-old Chung is a powerful dark horse in view of his soared popularity since southern Korea's unprecedented performance in the World cupful soccer finals co-hosted by Japan and southerly Korea in May and June

southward Korea reached the semi-finals in soccer's premier occurrence becoming the first Asian rural parts to reach that level.

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