"My wife has an underlying condition"... Ahn Cheol-soo chokes up and falls silent for 20 seconds

Ahn Cheol-soo, Clumsy with Emotional Expression, Gets Emotional While Announcing Professor Kim Mi-kyung's Positive COVID-19 Diagnosis
"Symptoms Worse Than Expected, Being Transferred to Hospital"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Party, choked up and struggled to speak on the 13th as he announced that his spouse, Professor Kim Mi-kyung of Seoul National University, had tested positive for COVID-19. His face was flushed red, a look completely different from his usual appearance.

Candidate Ahn said, "My wife, Professor Kim Mi-kyung, was notified this morning that she tested positive for COVID-19," adding, "So I went to the National Election Commission to register as a candidate but had to cancel the schedule and get tested, and the registration was done by proxy. The planned press conference is also being held remotely via YouTube."

After saying, "To be honest, my wife has underlying health conditions," Candidate Ahn sighed deeply. He was unable to speak for about 20 seconds as he tried to compose his overwhelming emotions. Even after regaining his composure, his voice remained choked with tears. He said, "She was helping with my campaign and volunteering in medical services when this happened," and added, "Her symptoms are worse than expected, so she is being transferred to the hospital."

Candidate Ahn said, "She is going through all the hardships, and as her husband, I feel very sorry." He continued, "Right now, all I can say is that I hope she overcomes this well, and I feel sorry and heartbroken." He also expressed, "I hope the people will take special care of their health."

Candidate Ahn has not been known for openly expressing his emotions. In the past, he appeared on a variety show and said that when he gets angry, he turns on the water in the shower and yells. Although he occasionally showed anger during his political career, his emotional expressions were generally restrained. However, it is rare to see him so visibly shaken like this.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Candidate Ahn officially proposed unification to Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party. He suggested unifying the candidates through a national primary election based on public opinion polls. Originally, Candidate Ahn planned to register with the National Election Commission and propose this at a press conference, but due to Professor Kim’s positive diagnosis, he made the unification proposal remotely.

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