Three-way race shaping up in ruling party for Seoul mayor

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- A three-way competition is shaping up within the ruling Democratic Party to grab its ticket to run in the June 13 Seoul mayoral election.

Rep. Park Young-sun, a former floor leader, on Sunday announced her bid to run in the party's primary.

She is expected to compete with incumbent Mayor Park Won-soon, who has expressed his willingness to seek a third term, and former floor leader Rep. Woo Sang-ho, who declared his candidacy on March 11.

Rep. Park, a four-term lawmaker, laid out her key election agenda centered on the environment, economy and culture. The TV anchor-turned-politician lost the 2011 primary to the incumbent mayor.

Rep. Woo Sang-ho, a three-term lawmaker, was the first to throw his hat into the ring. The former student activist emphasized that a new generation of leadership is needed to cope with new challenges faced by the capital.

Mayor Park, who leads all opinion polls, is expected to make his bid public in mid-April.

The ruling party race was initially likely to be a six-horse race.

But Rep. Jeon Hyun-heui, a two-term lawmaker, withdrew from the competition on March 8 after the party requested she remain at the National Assembly. To run in the election, a lawmaker has to resign from the parliament.

Another potential contender, Rep. Min Byung-doo, gave up his candidacy after he was accused earlier this month of sexually assaulting a woman several years ago.

Former lawmaker Chung Bong-ju sought to enter the party and join the primary as well. But the party refused to accept him after he was recently embroiled in a sexual violence scandal.
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