Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae, a third-term lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic United Party, on Monday announced his bid to run in the party’s presidential primary.

He is regarded an underdog in the DUP race to be dominated by Rep. Moon Jae-in, former top aide to the late President Roh Moo-hyun, and South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Doo-kwan.

“Being the son of a laborer, I have decided to challenge for the presidency in order to relieve the poor and to improve their livelihood,” he said in a press conference.

The Busan representative pledged to promote decentralization by abolishing the undergraduate system of Seoul National University and to relocate the headquarters of large companies to provinces.

Moon and Kim are expected to announce their intention to run this weekend and early next month, respectively.

(tellme@heraldcorp.com)