"Yoon and Unification, Psychological Shock" Incumbent Lawyer Files Damages Suit Against Ahn Cheol-soo

"Deceptive Acts Pretending to Complete Despite Unification Plan"
"Overseas Koreans Who Voted for Multi-Party System Became Wasted Votes"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Party, are shaking hands after concluding a unification press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the morning of the 3rd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Jeong-wan] A practicing lawyer has filed a civil lawsuit demanding compensation for mental distress against Ahn Cheol-soo, who withdrew his candidacy after unifying the opposition with Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate.

According to the legal community on the 7th, lawyer Ahn Kyung-jae (52, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 29) and former business director Noh Geon (61) filed a damage compensation lawsuit against Ahn at the Seoul Central District Court, claiming 1 million won.

In the complaint, lawyer Ahn stated, "Although Ahn planned the unification, he appeared on the election broadcast hosted by the National Election Commission, a state agency, and deceived the entire nation as if he would complete the presidential race," adding, "The election broadcast is operated with taxpayers' money, but Ahn mocked this and caused mental distress to the plaintiffs, who are citizens of the Republic of Korea."

It is presumed that Ahn had planned unification with candidate Yoon before the presidential candidate TV debate held on the 2nd, but he expressed his intention to complete the race during the broadcast.

He criticized, "Among overseas Koreans who voted in various countries, those who voted for the defendant, considering the value of a multi-party system, ended up wasting their votes," and "The defendant caused extreme disappointment in the overseas Koreans' longing for their homeland, instilling disillusionment in their future political participation."

He also emphasized, "A political party is not the personal property of an individual," and "If the defendant intended to unify with candidate Yoon Seok-yeol, whom he had harshly criticized for withdrawing from the presidential race, he should have at least gone through a procedure to gather certain opinions within the party."

Regarding the campaign bus fatal accident that occurred on the 15th of last month, lawyer Ahn added, "The defendant reversed his statement less than a month after declaring to the public that he would uphold the deceased's will," and "This caused an irreparable wound to the hearts of voters who trusted him, as he spoke with the death of a person."

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