A co-leader of the main opposition party called on President Park Geun-hye Sunday to hold talks with him on the recent controversy surrounding candidate nominations for the upcoming local elections in June.

Ahn Cheol-soo, one of two co-leaders of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, made the call amid a growing dispute within his party over whether to nominate candidates for lower-level administration chiefs and councilors in the June 4 elections.

"As leader of the No. 1 opposition party, I propose to President Park Geun-hye that we meet to discuss the issue of abolishing nominations and other pending political issues," Ahn said in a press conference at the National Assembly.

During the 2012 presidential campaign, both ruling and opposition parties pledged to scrap the party-centered nomination system that has often been linked to bribes between those wanting nomination and the party.

Recently, however, the ruling Saenuri Party backtracked on its pledge, saying it would instead adopt a bottom-up nomination system involving members of the party and the public.

The issue has become increasingly pressing for NPAD as some within the party have voiced concern that they could end up losing the elections if the ruling party nominates candidates while they don't.

"I strongly urge President Park and the Saenuri Party once again to fulfill their promise not to nominate candidates for the local elections," Ahn said. (Yonhap)