South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday named Lee Jae-myung, the party's ex-leader, as its candidate for the snap presidential election slated for June 3.Lee has been leading opinion polls for weeks with a double-digit gap over contestants from the conservative People Power Party,

Lee Jae-myung, a liberal who wants greater economic parity in South Korea and warmer ties with North Korea, became the main opposition party's presidential candidate Sunday, solidifying his position as front-runner to succeed recently ousted conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol.

A bribery charge against Moon Jae-in makes him the latest in a line of former leaders to face criminal action, deepening the country’s political polarization.