South Korea’s main opposition is expected to pick a high-profile rival of the president as its new leader, adding to the government’s challenges as it struggles to build support after three months in office.
The progressive Democratic Party is set to elect Lee Jae-myung on Sunday to take over as boss and lead the charge against conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee, a populist pushed to introduce universal basic income, narrowly lost to Yoon in the presidential election in March in a bitterly contested presidential election where the candidates berated each other on the campaign trail.
Lee, who has emerged as the front-runner during primary contests, would face the challenge of reviving a Democratic Party that dominates parliament but has been losing major elections — including races in June for provincial governors and mayors of the two biggest cities of Seoul and Busan.
