Tycoon back into contention:
South Korean software mogul Ahn Cheol-soo clinched his centrist People’s Party nomination to run for president on Tuesday, roaring back into contention in the May 9 vote after abandoning his presidential ambitions in 2012.
Ahn, 55, has taken a tougher stance on national security than the liberal frontrunner for president, Moon Jae-in, who won his Democratic Party’s nomination on Monday, saying there should be no mistake about the dangers presented by North Korea.
He has vowed to level the playing field for small business and conglomerates and provide equal opportunity for youth from all backgrounds to inject fresh breath into an economy showing signs of sputtering weighed by injustice and corruption.
Impeached former president Park Geunhye was dismissed last month over a corruption scandal that has implicated some conglomerates and rocked the country for months.
“We need to elect a capable president who can revive the economy. We need a president who can accomplish strong and robust national security,” Ahn said in his acceptance speech.
“The time for Ahn Cheol-soo is here and the time for Moon Jae-in is slipping away.”
Ahn was a top contender for the 2012 presidential election but withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Moon in a bid to unite non-conservative voters against eventual winner Park.
Trained as a medical doctor, Ahn rose to national fame when AhnLab, a provider of computer antivirus software, became a household name. (RTRS)