The ruling party's minor presidential contenders will return to their primary race for the December presidential election, withdrawing their boycott launched in reaction to a money-for-nomination scandal engulfing the party, officials said Sunday.

The race to select a presidential candidate on the Saenuri Party's ticket has been stymied after three minor contenders -- Yim Tae-hee, Kim Moon-soo and Kim Tae-ho -- took a joint action on Friday to boycott the race.

"They agreed to go back to the scheduled race starting tomorrow, as has been promised to the citizens," a party spokesman said.

In return for the three's agreement to come back, party chief Hwang Woo-yea promised to take responsibility for the money-for-nomination scandal, now being investigated by prosecutors, the spokesman said.

The minor contenders temporarily dropped out of the race on Friday as the party leadership rejected their demand for the resignation of Hwang who played a key role in the allegedly scandal-ridden nomination process for the April general elections.

The scandal centers on suspicions that Rep. Hyun Young-hee became a lawmaker on a proportional representation ticket after giving 300 million won (US$265,000) to Hyun Ki-hwan, then a member of the party's nomination committee, ahead of April's general elections.

Both have flatly rejected the allegations. The suspicions, if proven true, would deal a serious blow to the party and its leading presidential contender, Park Geun-hye. Park was then chief of the party.

(Yonhap News)