Ahn Cheol-soo Refutes 'Female Emperor' Remark... "Could It Be a Mistake with Kim Jong-in's Wife?"

Ahn Cheol-soo, the People's Party candidate for Seoul mayor, is speaking at a candidate invitation debate held on the 17th at the Korea Broadcasting Hall in Mok-dong, Seoul, hosted by the Korea Association of Journalists, the Broadcast Journalists Association, and the Korea PD Association. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] Ahn Cheol-soo, the People's Party candidate for Seoul mayor, denied the expression "female situation controller" directed at his wife, Professor Kim Mi-kyung of Seoul National University.

On the 17th, at the Korea Broadcasting Hall in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, during the "Invitation Debate for Ahn Cheol-soo, People's Party Candidate for Seoul Mayor," jointly hosted by the Korea Journalists Association, the Broadcast Journalists Association, and the Korea PD Association, Ahn stated, "I do not discuss political matters at home."

The moderator's question was, "The term 'situation controller' seems to imply a very closed decision-making structure. To what extent does Professor Kim Mi-kyung influence the political decision-making process?"

Ahn responded, "When I quit being a doctor and started a venture business, I was unsure and consulted with my wife, but she couldn’t sleep for three nights. I thought that even if I suffer alone, I should contemplate and solve such issues myself, so since then, I have not disclosed any matters happening outside."

The previous day, Lee Jun-seok, former Supreme Council member of the United Future Party (predecessor of the People Power Party), posted on Facebook a post titled "Have you heard that there is a female situation controller manipulating him?" targeting Ahn. Lee said, "Let’s not forget that people who helped Ahn in several past elections hinted at the existence of a 'female situation controller' and left. Does he realize that all the people around him have left because he only listened to the female situation controller?" This was a response to Ahn’s remark about Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, saying, "Isn’t there a 'kingmaker' behind candidate Oh?" Lee currently serves as the head of the New Media Headquarters at Oh Se-hoon’s People Power Party Seoul mayoral campaign.

During the debate, Ahn mentioned Chairman Kim once again, saying, "Chairman Kim’s wife has the same name as my wife. Also, there are many rumors in Yeouido about her political influence. Perhaps you are confusing the two. That’s the only thought I can have," he emphasized.

Ahn also said, "I think the person who made that remark was dissing their own party’s chairman," adding, "They will probably be fired soon."

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