S Korea’s ruling party nominates maverick politician in race

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s ruling liberal party has nominated its candidate for next year’s presidential elections, selecting a maverick politician known for his outspoken views who is likely to be the race’s front-runner. Lee Jae-myung’s nomination Sunday as the Democratic Party presidential candidate comes despite his rivals’ efforts to depict him as a dangerous populist and link him to a snowballing real estate scandal. Lee has vowed to fight economic inequality, introduce a universal basic income and resume reconciliation projects with North Korea. Next year’s March elections will likely be a two-way race between Lee and whoever wins the main conservative party’s nomination in November.