Poll says he is now in second place, behind potential rival Moon Jae-in

Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he will announce soon whether he will run for South Korea’s presidency, as he returned home and strongly hinted at his political ambitions before hundreds of cheering supporters.

Ban’s return will likely heat up local politics as he’s considered the only major conservative contender in a possible early election to replace impeached President Park Geun-hye. Dozens of lawmakers have already bolted from Park’s conservative ruling par- ty and want to align with Ban, while the main liberal opposition party is escalating its political offensive against him.

“Many people have asked me whether I have a will for power. If ‘will for power’ means uniting a divided country into one and making it a first-class country again, then I have already said I am ready to burn my body in devotion to this and my mind hasn’t changed,” Ban told a televised conference upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport near Seoul.

As his supporters shouted his name, Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, said