Ahn Cheol-soo: "If Geum Tae-seop contacts me, I will meet him"
Positive Stance on 'Third Zone Unification'
Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
View original image[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, has shown a positive stance toward former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop’s proposal for a ‘third zone unification.’
On the morning of the 1st, after the People’s Party Supreme Council meeting, Ahn told reporters, "To win the Seoul mayoral election, unifying opposition candidates is necessary," adding, "If I receive contact from former lawmaker Geum, I will meet with him." He also said, "I want to evaluate that he agreed with my intention to respect each other and expand the opposition’s share."
Former lawmaker Geum announced his candidacy for the Seoul mayoral by-election the day before and proposed a one-on-one unification primary to Ahn. Appearing on CBS Radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ that day, he said, "It is a favorable plan for Ahn as well," adding, "If Ahn and I debate weekly, it will be advantageous for Ahn when deciding the representative opposition candidate or in the general election."
However, both candidates drew a line regarding joining the People Power Party. Ahn emphasized, "It is not a demand to join but a demand to leave," adding, "Asking the leader of a public party to leave later reduces the opposition’s share regardless of who becomes the unified candidate." Former lawmaker Geum also said, "We want to create a ‘boom-up’ among People Power Party supporters and also among centrists by debating and competing in the third zone to attract attention."
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Meanwhile, on the same morning, Jeong Jin-seok, the People Power Party’s nomination committee chairman, reportedly discussed the unification plan for mayoral candidates with senior lawmakers.
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