South Korea's unpopular president has approached his main conservative rival to be prime minister to stem anger over his policies that have triggered mass street protests, an aide to the rival said on Wednesday.
The rallies calling for President Lee Myung-bak's ouster after barely three months in office were sparked by public outcry over a deal to open South Korea's market wider to U.S. beef and have cast a cloud over his plans for pro-business reforms.
Lee has unofficially called on Park Geun-hye, his main rival for control of the conservative Grand National Party (GNP), to be his prime minister, an aide close to Park told Reuters.
"There is a chance she could accept if a formal request is made because the situation is so difficult," said the aide, who asked not to be named.
Park, who once ran the GNP and is the daughter of an assassinated dictator, is seen as being able to unite the faction-ridden party and bring a steadying hand to Lee's government, roundly criticised for bungling the U.S. beef import deal and being out of touch with public sentiment.
"The Park Geun-hye card is an essential one to play now because nobody is trying to listen to his voice any more," said Choi Jin, the chief of the Institute for Presidential Leadership.
BIGGEST RALLY IN ABOUT 20 YEARS
In what was described by local media as the biggest demonstration in the capital in about 20 years, mothers with toddlers, college students, office workers and radical labour activists shouted "Lee Myung-bak Out" as tens of thousands marched with candles through the streets on Tuesday night.
Riot police confronted hundreds of remaining protesters at a barricade of sand-filled shipping containers that blocked the main street leading to the presidential Blue House to clear the road during the Wednesday morning rush hour.
Former construction boss Lee won the December presidential election on the strength of his can-do image.
But this has now become his liability. The public sees him as so focused on his own plans he ignores their needs, analysts say.
