Justice Party: "Ahn Cheol-soo 'Opposition Unified Candidate' Claim is Disrespectful"

Participants, including Kim Jong-in, leader of the Justice Party, are shouting slogans at the urgent meeting of merchant and civic groups urging measures for self-employed people in the COVID-19 crisis held at the National Assembly on the 17th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The Justice Party has sharply criticized Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, for using the term 'unified opposition candidate.'

Jung Ho-jin, chief spokesperson of the Justice Party, said in a statement on the 20th, "(Leader Ahn) recklessly claimed to be the 'unified opposition candidate,'" adding, "No matter how free one is to be mistaken, it is simply pitiful that it seems he is just expressing his own wish, as no one has actually made him the unified opposition candidate."

He continued, "All parties except the ruling party are opposition parties, and the Justice Party is also an opposition party. Whether Leader Ahn forms an alliance with the People Power Party to become the 'unified conservative opposition candidate' is irrelevant to the Justice Party. However, the Justice Party has no intention of forming an electoral alliance with parties that have different values and policies," emphasizing this point. He added, "Therefore, the expression 'unified opposition candidate' is rude and inappropriate."

Chief Spokesperson Jung expressed concern, saying, "As someone who ran in the presidential election, it is worrisome that he is making baseless claims of being the unified opposition candidate, which may only become a laughingstock to the public," and stated, "The Justice Party will participate in next year’s Seoul mayoral by-election. As a progressive opposition party, the Justice Party will present the vision and values of progressive Seoul to Seoul citizens through its mayoral candidate."

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