Kim Gi-hyeon Meets Ahn Cheol-soo... Opposition Merger with People Power Party After the Party Convention

Kim Ki-hyun, Acting Party Leader and Floor Leader of the People Power Party (right), is shaking hands with Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People Party, during a visit at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Bo-ryeong] The merger between the People Power Party and the People’s Party is increasingly likely to take place after the People Power Party’s leadership election.

On the 4th, Kim Ki-hyun, acting party leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, visited Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, to discuss opinions related to the merger.

Both the People Power Party and the People’s Party are positive about the merger. During the meeting with Ahn, Acting Leader Kim said, “We have joined hands with the great goal of uplifting the Republic of Korea. I firmly believe that our relationship will mature into one where we can move forward on a bigger goal, a goal for the people, as if we are on the same boat.” He added, “I expect today’s meeting to be a significant milestone in making great progress.”

The timing of the merger is expected to be after the People Power Party’s leadership election. Yoon Hee-seok, spokesperson for the People Power Party, who attended the meeting between Acting Leader Kim and Leader Ahn, told reporters, “Based on today’s discussions, it does not seem likely that there will be any related movements before the leadership election.”

Ahn Hye-jin, spokesperson for the People’s Party, also said, “The People Power Party has been operating under an emergency committee, so current issues have been piling up. They said they will hold the leadership election as soon as possible,” adding, “Because of this, I think the merger schedule might be somewhat delayed.”

She continued, “Whether it is before or after the leadership election, we are fully prepared,” and added, “For now, we plan to continue internal party reforms and wait for the right timing.”

Meanwhile, Leader Ahn told Acting Leader Kim, “I was impressed by the remarks made at the first emergency committee meeting I chaired,” and said, “I 100 percent agree with all of them: that we must become an alternative force that prioritizes the happiness of the people, that innovation is not optional but essential, and that we will engage in a livelihood struggle rather than political battles.”

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