Ahn Cheol-soo: "Ruling Party Figures Must Lead in Returning Real Estate Unearned Income to Society"

No Further Plans to Discuss Practical Negotiations for Unified Opposition Candidate in Seoul Mayor By-election

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 28th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, urged ruling party figures who gained unearned income from the real estate surge to take the lead in social restitution. Regarding the practical negotiations for the opposition’s unified candidate in the Seoul mayoral by-election, he stated that he would no longer comment.

On the morning of the 28th, at the 72nd Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, Ahn said, “Due to this administration’s policy failures, ordinary citizens have suffered greatly, but there are many powerful figures and associates in this administration who have gained enormous unearned income from the real estate surge.”

He added, “I expect former and current chiefs and senior secretaries of the Blue House, ministers and vice ministers, ruling party lawmakers who led the passage of harmful real estate laws, and parachuted agency heads to take the lead in social restitution of real estate unearned income by being the first to contribute to the Win-Win Solidarity Fund.”

Ahn also said, “It is clearly wrong to keep enriching oneself without spending a single penny of one’s own money while forcing others to practice coexistence,” and “I want to hear the sincere thoughts of President Moon Jae-in, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, People Power Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, and the government and ruling party on this matter.”

Regarding the opposition’s unification for the Seoul mayoral by-election, he said, “The unification of opposition candidates cannot be emphasized enough,” but pointed out, “Unification should not become the sole issue of the election, nor should everything be sucked into the black hole of unification.” Last week, Ahn conveyed to the People Power Party his opinion to expedite practical discussions to select a unified opposition candidate, but at the People Power Party’s New Year press conference held the previous day, Kim Jong-in, the party’s emergency committee chairman, rejected the proposal, saying “One week is enough.”

Ahn said, “The core topic of the opposition keeps coming up, but if there is no progress, the public’s fatigue and boredom will deepen,” and “I have now sufficiently explained last week’s proposal to start practical negotiations, so I will no longer make any comments related to this going forward.”

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