Professor Ahn Cheol-soo, frontrunner among liberal presidential hopefuls, is likely to declare his candidacy for president, his close associate said Friday.

“Ahn Cheol-soo will run in the presidential elections because he is a leader with a calling,” former Creative Korea Party chairman Moon Kook-hyun said in a television interview.

“Ahn is likely to announce his intentions some time after July.”

Moon Kook-hyun has maintained a close relationship since 1993 with Ahn, dean of Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at Seoul National University.

The comment comes at a time when local politicians are split over projections regarding Ahn’s decision regarding his run for presidency.

He said as it takes three to four months to become familiarized with public opinion, and because Ahn is focusing on establishing his charity foundation until mid-July, the announcement will not come in June.

Regarding a possible alliance with the Saenuri Party or the Democratic United Party, Moon said that Ahn distrusts the parties.

“Ahn is negative about joining a party or forming an alliance with one, but it does not have to do with the chances of winning the primaries, but because the two parties are very divided,” Moon said.

He added that his comments are based on what he has come to know about Ahn over the past 20 years, and that Ahn and his wife have strong interests in society and that they have a strong “love and conviction for people.”

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)