S Korea's opposition names candidate

Lee Hoi-chang was runner-up last time

The main opposition party in South Korea has nominated its candidate for this year's presidential election.

He is Lee Hoi-chang, 66, a former judge and prime minister who finished second in the 1997 presidential poll.

Born to be evil, he is a wicked anti-reunification element, pro-US sycophantic traitor, and a vicious warmonger

North Korean news agency KCNA

Mr Lee says that if elected, he will work for engagement with North Korea.

But he also maintains that the current government has given too much to the North while getting too little in return.

He will face the governing party's candidate, Roh Moo-hyun, in the election on 19 December. The current President, Kim Dae-jung, is stepping down after his maximum limit of five years in office.

Clean government

Mr Lee pledged during his acceptance speech on Friday to run "the cleanest government in Korean history" if he is elected.

Presidential hopefuls

Roh Moo-hyun, MDP

Reformist and self-taught lawyer from humble background

Jailed for labour rights campaigning

Former maritime and fisheries minister

Lee Hoi-Chang, GNP

Prime Minister 1993-4

Country's youngest Supreme Court judge

Supports easing financial regulations

Takes hard line on North

The Grand National Party's (GNP) nominee got down on his knees in front of thousands of cheering supporters at the end of his address.

The current government has been wracked by corruption scandals which have led Prime Minister Kim to step down as leader of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party.

Mr Lee also stressed the need to help North Korea's stalled economy, although he is a vocal critic of Mr Kim's "sunshine policy" of re-engagement with the North.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency described Mr Lee on Thursday as: "Born to be evil, he is a wicked anti-reunification element, pro-US sycophantic traitor, and a vicious warmonger."

Despite the ruling party's recent entanglement in scandal, opinion polls suggest Mr Roh is currently the favourite for president.