South Korea former opposition leader holds lead in presidential favourites poll

FILE PHOTO: Moon Jae-in (C), former human rights lawyer and presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic United Party, attends a campaign encouraging people to vote, in Seoul, South Korea December 19, 2012. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - An opinion poll released on Monday in South Korea showed former U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in second place and narrowing the gap on the frontrunner among likely candidates to succeed President Park Geun-hye, who has been impeached by parliament.

The Realmeter poll commissioned by the Maeil Business Newspaper showed former liberal opposition party leader Moon Jae-in maintaining his lead at 26.1 percent, compared with 22.2 percent for Ban.