The Future of the Opposition Hangs on Unification... Whoever Wins, the Opposition Landscape Will Completely Change

When Ahn Unified, Kim Jong-in's Regime Hit... The 3rd Zone Pie Including Yoon Grows
Oh Responds to Ahn's Move on Naegok-dong, "Not Right"... Tensions Continue in Competition
Significant Differences in Required Assets After Unification... Interest in Organic Election Cooperation

[Asia Economy reporters Naju Seok, Gu Chae-eun, Geum Bo-ryeong] As the public opinion survey for unifying the opposition camp's Seoul mayoral candidates began on the 22nd, attention is focused on whether the People Power Party and the People’s Party can successfully cooperate in the general election. Given the considerable emotional wounds between the two sides during the unification process and the inevitable power struggle over political realignment ahead of next year’s presidential election, there are uncertain prospects as to whether a chemical bond will properly form.

◆ Ahn touches the Achilles’ heel of Naegok-dong = On the 22nd, O Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate, and Ahn Cheol-soo, the People’s Party candidate, each held press conferences stating, "After unification, we will do our best to help the unified candidate win," and promised to meet that evening. However, signs of ongoing tension between the two candidates were also revealed.

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, attended the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 22nd. After the meeting, he held a press conference regarding the unification of the Seoul mayoral candidate. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The opening salvo was fired by Ahn. During a press conference appealing for support, Ahn mentioned O’s Naegok-dong speculation allegations, saying, “If unified with O as the candidate, and new facts come to light or witnesses emerge about the incident at that time, the election might be held with the opposition candidate having already withdrawn.” He then emphasized that he is a ‘flawless candidate’ and “a candidate who will not be hindered by various issues.” In trying to highlight his strengths, he ended up striking the ‘vital spot’ of his unification partner.

In response, the People Power Party immediately voiced opposition, calling the remarks “excessive.” On the very first day of the public opinion survey to select one of the two candidates just a day after agreeing on the unification method, the spark of conflict flared. Upon hearing Ahn’s remarks, O posted on Facebook, “This is neither proper nor helpful for rallying support ahead of unification. I ask for restraint.”

Meanwhile, Ahn continued efforts to solidify the conservative support base, which is considered relatively weak. At 11 a.m. and noon, he appeared consecutively on the far-right YouTube channels ‘Lee Bong-gyu TV’ and ‘Jo Gap-je TV’ to court conservative voters.

◆ Competition for leadership of the ‘opposition camp landscape’ even before unification = The tension between the two candidates is linked to the assessment that this unification could influence the opposition camp landscape beyond the Seoul mayoral race and into the next year’s presidential election phase. Park Sang-byeong, a visiting professor at Inha University Graduate School of Policy, predicted, “If the People Power Party loses to Ahn in the unification phase, there will even be talk of dissolving the party.” Although Ahn has already leaned toward merging with the People Power Party, he has proposed a three-stage integration theory involving the selection of a unified opposition candidate, post-election integration of the People Power Party and the People’s Party, and a grand opposition camp unification, signaling political realignment.

On the 22nd, Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office regarding the unified opposition coalition. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-se also told Asia Economy in a phone interview, “This election is related to the reorganization of the opposition camp,” adding, “Whether the People Power Party can remain solid is a matter of future prediction, and nothing can be said with certainty.” The day before, as chairman of O’s election campaign committee, Kwon emphasized, “Let’s abandon the idea of ‘it doesn’t matter who wins,’” and called it “an election on which the party’s fate depends.”

There are also significant concerns about the election campaign itself after unification. On the same day, Kwon Eun-hee, floor leader of the People’s Party, appeared on CBS Radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ and mentioned Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, saying, “The arrogance that does not acknowledge diversity and differences is a challenge,” and “We feel that these issues are homework we must solve, and there are internal demands for change regarding this. We recognize it as a challenge we must solve together.” There are also criticisms that joint opposition election responses are realistically difficult. Kim Geun-sik, head of the People Power Party’s Vision and Strategy Office, pointed out, “If Ahn becomes the candidate, he cannot even have a party office or wear a sash, and can only give personal endorsement speeches.”

There are also remarks that invisible chemical bonding is even more difficult. A People Power Party official, referring to organizational issues, said, “O can run the election without Ahn’s help, but Ahn will find it difficult to win without the People Power Party’s support.” This indicates that the mutual needs and fulfillment relationships between the two sides differ.

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