South Korea former opposition leader Moon Jae In says will run for president

The former leader of South Korea's main opposition party Moon Jae In said on Thursday (Dec 15) he would run for president. PHOTO: EPA

SEOUL (REUTERS) - The former leader of South Korea's main opposition party said on Thursday (Dec 15) he would run for president, while adding that the issue of deploying a US anti-missile system should be pushed back to the next presidential administration.

"It would be a great honour for me to run for president," Mr Moon Jae In, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, told a news conference when asked to clarify whether he would run or not.

South Korea's next presidential election is due in 2018, but one could be held sooner if a Constitutional Court upholds a parliamentary vote to impeach President Park Geun Hye.

On the contentious missile system Thaad, Mr Moon said: "It is inappropriate for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence deployment process to go on under the current political circumstances."

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