A university professor and a former minister will head a preparatory committee for the new party of Ahn Cheol-soo, a former co-chairman of the main opposition party, his aide said Friday.

Han Sang-jin, the emeritus professor of the country's top-notch Seoul National University, and former Environment Minister Yoon Yeo-joon will co-chair the committee that will play a key role in the party's establishment slated for March.

The aide said the committee will be launched Sunday and field candidates in the nationwide general elections in April.

Ahn quit the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy last month following internal strife with incumbent Chairman Moon Jae-in. 

The opposition party has since changed its name to the Minjoo Party of Korea in an apparent move to improve its image before the general elections in April.

Ahn had called for Moon's resignation and party reform following the party's crushing defeat in the parliamentary by-elections in April 2015. 

He left the party when negotiations with Moon over a leadership change fell through.

A stream of similar desertions from the Minjoo Party followed, including the departure of another former co-chairman, Kim Han-gil.

Ahn, the founder of the nation's largest anti-virus software firm Ahnlab Co., co-founded the party after merging Kim's main opposition Democratic Party with his supporters. Ahn jointly shared the party's top post with Kim for four months. (Yonhap)