Former presidential candidate Chung Dong-young joins minor

Published : Feb 18, 2016 - 21:56 Updated : Feb 18, 2016 - 21:56

Former presidential candidate Chung Dong-young on Thursday joined the minor oppositionPeople's Party and pledged to help bring about a regime change in 2018.

The former three-term lawmaker, who unsuccessfully took part inthe 2007 presidential race, told reporters in Jeonju, 243 kilometers south of Seoul, that he is joining the People's Party to bring about peace on the Korean Peninsula and end the "collusion" system that exists between the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea.

"If the two-way collusion is not broken up, there is no hopefor the country's future," he argued. He then claimed that by joining the People's Party, he would be able to contribute to theparty's victory in the general elections. The election to pick lawmakers takes place on April 13 and will lay the foundation for the 2017 presidential election.

The country's new chief executive will take office in early 2018.

Chung said that he does not plan to hold any office position within the party led by former computer vaccine entrepreneur Ahn Chul-soo. The People's Party split up from the Minjoo Party afterleaders were unable to resolve long standing issues on the direction of the opposition. (Yonhap)