Former prosecutor general Yoon Seok-youl speaks during a press conference to declare his bid for South Korea's 2022 presidential election, at a memorial of independence activist Yun Bong-gil in Seoul on June 29, 2021. (KIM MIN-HEE / POOL / AFP)

SEOUL - A former South Korean prosecutor-general launched on Tuesday a bid to become president in an election next year saying the administration of President Moon Jae-in was corrupt and had to be defeated.

Moon is limited to just one term under the constitution. His liberal party has yet to nominate its candidate for the presidential election but former top prosecutor Yoon Seok-youl said Moon's supporters had to be voted out.

President Moon Jae-in and his government reject accusations of corruption

"We have to stop the corrupt and incompetent ruling forces' attempt to extend their term and plunder people," Yoon told a news conference.

Moon and his government reject accusations of corruption.

The conservative Yoon has been topping polls for presidential candidates since he resigned from the prosecutor job in March.

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In a Realmeter survey released last week, Yoon won the support of 32.3 percent of respondents with Lee Jae-myung, the popular governor of Gyeonggia province and a member of Moon's party, coming second on 22.8 percent.