Park Joon-yung, governor of South Jeolla Province, on Sunday declared that he would join the Democratic United Party’s presidential nomination race, bringing the number of contenders to seven.

The journalist-turned-politician expressed confidence is his chance of winning based on his expectation that he could garner much support from the main opposition party’s stronghold.

Park pledged to focus on enhancing the livelihood of ordinary citizens, promoting social integration and mapping out viable measures to develop rural areas. 

He also indicated that he would prioritize improving ties with North Korea. He was a close aide to the late former President Kim Dae-jung, who implemented the “Sunshine Policy” of engagement with the North.

“The next administration should definitely establish a peninsular peace system, ease inter-Korean tension and try to achieve mutual development,” Park told reporters.

His party will shortlist five contenders for its final primary during an election slated for around the end of this month. A vote among DUP members and a public opinion poll will have 30 percent and 70 percent weightings, respectively, to choose the five.

Party heavyweights Moon Jae-in, Sohn Hak-kyu, Chung Sye-kyun and Kim Doo-kwan, and three others including Park have declared their presidential bids.

Park took the helm of the province in a 2004 by-election. His predecessor Park Tae-young killed himself while being investigated by prosecutors for corruption. He was reelected in 2006 and 2010.

Park served as presidential press secretary and spokesperson for Kim between 1998 and 1999. In 2001, he served as head of the Government Information Agency, which in 2008 was merged into the Culture Ministry.

He began his journalistic career at the JoongAng Ilbo in 1972 and served in a variety of positions including a stint as a correspondent in New York in 1989 and vice chief of the newsroom in 1995.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)