SEOUL -- South Korea's former prosecutor general Yoon Seok-youl was named Friday as the main conservative People Power Party's candidate for next March's presidential election.

Yoon, 60, picked up 47.85% of support from mobile votes by party members and opinion polls this week, beating five-time lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo, who took 41.50%.

He will face off in next year's election against Lee Jae-myung of President Moon Jae-in's ruling Democratic Party, and other candidates including Ahn Cheol-soo -- a centrist running for the third time. Moon is not able to run again as South Korean presidents are limited to a single five year term.

Yoon gained popularity for thorough investigations against powerful politicians and business moguls including former president Park Geun-hye, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo.

He has also been a consistent thorn in the side of Moon, clashing with the president over investigations against his aides and the government's drive to limit the authority of prosecutors. The prosecutor resigned from his position in March, claiming that principles, and law and order collapsed under Moon's liberal government.

Yoon and the DP's Lee are neck-in-neck in polls. Lee had 26% of support among 1,000 people in a Gallup Korea survey this week on who should lead the country, slightly ahead of Yoon on 24%.