'Strongman' Hong looks to halt conservative fall from grace

SEOUL - Opinion polls in the Republic of Korea suggest that the fall of Park Geun-hye, the country's ousted, jailed president now awaiting a corruption trial, has doomed conservatives in next week's presidential election.

However, an outspoken former governor, who touts himself as a "strongman", looks to win an upset in Tuesday's election and lift conservatives from free fall.

The emergence of Hong Joon-pyo, 62, who represents Park's Liberty Korea Party, is perhaps the most surprising development of the two-month race following Park's removal in March.