Ruling , opposition parties struggle to find candidates for Seoul mayoral election The Grand National Party was divided over who should be their mayoral candidate as opposition parties took a step closer to fielding a unified contender after respected entrepreneur Ahn Cheol - soo declared support for an opposition canidate . In a Gallup poll of some 1 , 000 Seoul citizens earlier this week , nearly 40 percent said they would vote for Ahn . Second - place went to GNP ’ s Rep . Na Kyung - won , with 13 percent , closely followed by the opposition ’ s Han Myeong - sook with 10 . 9 percent . Some within the GNP back Na , a former party spokeswoman who was elected one of the seven members of the party ’ s decision - making supreme council in July , while others insist they should look for someone from outside . Pointing to a recent survey in which 72 percent of respondents picked administrative capabilities as the most important requirement for Seoul mayor , Rep . Lee Hye - hoon of the GNP called for someone outside the party with strong administrative experience . Among those tapped are Prime Minister Kim Hwang - sik , ex - premier Chung Un - chan , former culture minister Yu In - chon , president of Hansun Foundation Park Se - il and ex - minister of home affairs Maeng Hyung - kyu . A group of GNP ’ s rookie lawmakers said Wednesday candidates invited from outside should have to compete with contenders from within the party . GNP secretary general Rep . Kim Jung - kwon said the party will soon finalize schedules for the by - election and all options were open regarding intraparty competition . Opposition parties , meanwhile , launched a council named “ Innovation and Integration ” to push for selecting a unified candidate . Main opposition Democratic Party leader Sohn Hak - kyu said Ahn ’ s support of civic activist Park Won - soon has added momentum to electing a unified opposition candidate . “ Victory is wide open for the DP in the Seoul mayor election , ” Sohn said in a meeting of the party leadership on Wednesday . Han , currently the opposition ’ s frontrunner , met with Park and Moon Jae - in , former top aide to ex - president Roh Moo - hyun , on Tuesday and agreed to cooperate for unified candidacy against the GNP . The DP ’ s Rep . Jun Byung - hun withdrew his mayoral bid on Wednesday , saying he was shocked by the so - called “ Ahn Cheol - soo syndrome . ” In a poll on likely presidential candidates conducted immediately after Ahn declared his intention not to run , Ahn garnered a support rating of 43 . 2 percent , beating the GNP ’ s strongest presidential hopeful Park Geun - hye , who received 40 . 6 percent . In response to reporters ’ questions regarding the poll results Wednesday morning Park simply said the “ situation ” should be turned into an opportunity for a new start in Korean politics . By Kim So - hyun ( sophie @ heraldm . com )