South Korea’s former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo says he will run in next month’s presidential election and would seek to lessen the powers of the office and ease strife-ridden domestic politics if he wins.

Lee Jae-myung has been the front-runner in South Korea's presidential election, but his candidacy has been complicated by criminal trials he has decried as politically motivated.

South Korea's former acting President Han Duck-soo said on Friday he would join the race to become the country's next president after resigning the day before. A snap presidential election will be held on June 3.