Ex-spy chief to run for president as independent candidate

By KH디지털2

Published : March 17, 2017 - 10:33

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Former President Park Geun-hye's first spy chief announced he will run for the presidency Friday as an independent candidate, vowing to root out what he calls "leftist followers of North Korea."

Nam Jae-joon, who served as the head of the National Intelligence Service from 2013 to 2014, will register his preliminary candidacy later in the day, his campaign team said in a statement.

Nam Jae-joon, former head of the National Intelligence Service (Yonhap)

"The goal is to establish a unified South Korea under the liberal democratic system and to overcome conflict and division," it said.

South Korea plans to hold an early presidential election on May 9 following the ouster of Park over a corruption scandal.

"The country's current situation is as bad as, or even worse than, South Vietnam before its collapse," Nam was quoted as saying.

"I will secure the survival of South Korea and its liberal democratic system." (Yonhap)

Ex-spy chief to run for president as independent candidate

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