Former software mogul and presidential contender Ahn Cheol-soo, who is running for a parliamentary seat in this month's by-elections, said Wednesday he has no plans to join the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) despite reports that he is considering the move.

"I've never talked about joining a political party, and am not considering it at the moment," Ahn said on a local radio program.

"Reports that I've left open the possibility of joining (the DUP) are really going too far."

With the by-elections exactly two weeks away, the independent is widely considered to be the front-runner in Seoul's Nowon C constituency where his main rivals include former police chief Huh Joon-young of the ruling Saenuri Party. The DUP has not fielded a candidate for the district in an apparent move to consolidate the opposition vote behind Ahn.

"If voters (in Nowon C) vote for a new type of politics, I believe they will also then collect their views on the direction it should go in," Ahn said. "Whatever difficulties or thorny paths come my way in that process, I will tackle them head-on."

Ahn, the founder of South Korea's largest anti-virus software firm AhnLab, enjoyed immense popularity among young liberal voters ahead of last December's presidential election, posing a serious challenge to the ruling and opposition party contenders.

He entered the presidential campaign with a promise to overhaul the old style of politics that was causing growing public disenchantment with the political establishment.

However, mounting calls for a single opposition candidate to challenge then ruling party candidate Park Geun-hye forced him to quit the race in November and throw his support behind then DUP candidate Moon Jae-in.

Still, the ruling party contender went on to be elected South Korea's first female president.

"People distrust politics due to its factionalism, pursuit of personal gains, opposition for the sake of opposition and the hostile structure whereby (politicians) attack each other while working side by side," Ahn said. "A new type of politics is one that solves the problems in the livelihoods of ordinary and middle-class people." (Yonhap News)