South Korean court clears way for new PPP candidate

A Seoul court on Friday ruled the main conservative party could hold another convention to agree a presidential candidate amid a bitter dispute over who should represent the party in the June 3 election.

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With the presidential election less than a month away, uniting conservatives behind a single candidate is seen as crucial if the People Power Party (PPP) is to stand any chance of success against Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung.

The PPP has asked its nominee Kim Moon-soo to merge his campaign with former prime minister Han Duck-soo, an independent candidate, but the process has descended into angry recriminations.

Kim requested an injunction against his own party to stop it from naming a new candidate. His supporters had also asked the court to block a new convention planned for Sunday, when candidate registration closes.

On Friday, the court rejected both applications, a spokesperson for the Seoul Southern District Court said.

At a gathering with PPP lawmakers where he was initially greeted with applause and a bouquet, Kim stressed he had been chosen as the party's official presidential candidate through its primary.