Ahn Cheol-soo: "I'm not suggesting unification under me... I regret baseless criticism"

"Unification Talks Go Against the Wishes of the Opposition Supporters"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, stated on the 14th regarding the opposition unity for the Seoul mayoral by-election, “I am not insisting that we unify under me,” adding, “It is about following the will of the people who earnestly desire regime change and criticize the incompetence and recklessness of this administration.”

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Ahn said, “The unification discussion, which should proceed calmly with a common goal, is going against the wishes of the entire opposition support base,” and added, “Some people who have not even worked with me politically or do not know me well are stepping forward to make groundless criticisms. It is regrettable.”

He explained, “The reason I decided to give up running for president and run for the Seoul mayoral by-election was the desperate feeling that if the opposition loses the Seoul mayoral election, regime change would also be out of reach,” emphasizing, “Who becomes the unified candidate is a secondary issue. Achieving unification itself is important. The decision of the unified candidate should be made by the citizens of Seoul who are angry at this administration.”

He continued, “I want to ask whether your actions truly follow the will of the people who want regime change, or whether they ultimately benefit those who are crushing democracy and the rule of law in this land,” adding, “No matter how many times I think about it, the target of your criticism should not be me but the ruthless and oppressive Moon Jae-in administration.”

Ahn stated, “The only thing the opposition can trust is public sentiment. The only support is the people. Whether we can achieve regime change by embracing the public sentiment resisting the Moon Jae-in administration depends solely on the outcome of this by-election,” and said, “We must win by any means. If the opposition suffers defeat again due to jealousy, rivalry, discord, and division despite the public’s will and support, we will not be able to face the people.”

He added, “I have already done everything I can for the opposition’s victory. Yet, some are demanding that I yield more and step back further,” and said, “If their demands help to judge the administration and following them becomes a catalyst for regime change, I will not hesitate. However, if prioritizing one’s party over the Republic of Korea, or personal political interests over the party, I clearly point out that this goes against the demands of the era and the will of the citizens.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.