SEOUL, Lee Nak-yon, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), will announce his departure from the DP and the launch of a new party of his own later this week, aides said Monday.

Lee will make the announcement on Thursday, the aides said in a notice to reporters.

Lee, who served as prime minister during the previous Moon Jae-in administration, has been considering launching a new party ahead of April’s parliamentary elections in protest of the way DP leader Lee Jae-myung runs the party.

Source: Yonhap News Agency