Ahn Cheol-soo Likely to Lead Third-Base Centrist Movement... "Representing Rational Centrists"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, has remained in the so-called third zone. He sees it as difficult to achieve a regime change with the People Power Party and clearly expressed his orientation toward "rational reform" and the "center." It appears that another presidential candidate group will emerge alongside the Democratic Party of Korea, the People Power Party, and the Justice Party.

On the 16th, immediately after announcing that he would no longer pursue a merger with the People Power Party, Ahn met with reporters and said, "I judge that regime change is becoming difficult with only the main opposition party," adding, "There are many moderate voters who hope for rational reform and want to create a better Republic of Korea."

He continued, "My promise is regime change," and said, "I mentioned the merger as one means to achieve regime change. I advocated for a unification that could create synergy and expand the opposition support base. But the current reality makes that difficult, and rather, if it happens, the possibility of regime change would decrease, and I would not be able to keep my promise."

He thus drew a line from the conservative opposition party and clarified the orientation of the People’s Party and himself. Regarding the possibility of running for president, he said, "I will take time later to talk about future plans. For now, I will first organize the party, which has been confused until now, and discuss with party members and supporters to find a way."

Regarding the possibility of alliance with former Deputy Prime Minister Kim Dong-yeon, he said, "I do not currently have any plans or thoughts. However, if someone thinks about the country’s future and wants to create a better Republic of Korea, I am ready to meet and discuss with anyone."

This suggests that he will move toward forming a third zone force centered on the keywords rational reform and the center. Ahn also said, "I want to represent the rational moderate voters. And I will fulfill the historical mission given to me."

He also said, "You may know the phrase 'Unwoochangcheon (雲外蒼天),' which means that beyond the dark clouds, a bright sky appears. Right now, the entire Republic of Korea is covered by the dark cloud of COVID-19, and the entire people are suffering. Politics must play a role in figuring out how to properly overcome this."

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