Amidst Yeo's Turmoil, Ahn Cheol-soo Quietly Raises His Voice... Accelerating Next Party Leadership Bid

'Speculation on Early Party Convention' and 'Kim Kyung-soo Pardon' Raise Voices on Current Issues
Transition Team Connections and Health Expertise Appeal to Woo Yoon's Heart
Ongoing Ruling Party Infighting... Influence Expected to Continue Expanding

Ahn Cheol-soo, member of the People Power Party./Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yunjin Kim] The influence of Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, appears to be growing day by day. Amid a sense of crisis surrounding the one-top leadership system of Kwon Seong-dong, acting party leader and floor leader, Ahn's moves as a next party leader candidate are drawing attention.

Ahn is focusing on consolidating his power through study groups within the party. The 'Overcoming Crisis, Towards the Future: Min-Dang-Jeong (People-Party-Government) Forum,' led by Ahn and consisting of four sessions, has attracted political interest, with about 40 participants attending the first meeting on the 12th. Having joined the People Power Party from the People Party, Ahn has a relatively weak base within the party compared to his recognition. Therefore, he seems to be using the forum to gather support and strengthen his relatively vulnerable foundation.

Additionally, through the forum, there is an interpretation that he is highlighting his experience as the chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee and increasing contact with the party and government to court 'Yunshim (Yoon's heart).' At the launch ceremony of the Min-Dang-Jeong forum, Ahn said, "If the party and the presidential office unite as one team and work hard, we can regain public trust," likening his group to 'Transition Committee Season 2.' Ahn has also showcased his relationship with the government by inviting figures who moved from the transition committee to the cabinet, such as Kim So-young, vice chairman of the Financial Services Commission, to the first forum.

Ahn has been expressing clear positions on current issues through social media (SNS) and media interviews. On the 21st, he posted on his SNS, "Until the suspicions surrounding the current party leader are resolved, we must proceed steadily under the acting leadership of Kwon." This was a clear stance against the 'early party convention speculation' ignited by Kim Ki-hyun and others, who are considered next party leader candidates. It seems to reflect the judgment that more time is needed to consolidate power within the party compared to his competitors. In an interview with Segye Ilbo on the 27th, he also evaluated the current government by saying, "There are some regrets."

He is raising his voice not only on internal party issues but also on political and social matters in general. On the morning of the 26th, Ahn publicly opposed the pardon of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo through his SNS, stating, "We must not grant a pardon to the main culprit of state corruption," which became a hot topic. It is interpreted that he intended to exert influence, anticipating that the pardon of Kim would be discussed during the Ministry of Justice report by Minister Han Dong-hoon scheduled for that day. Ahn has also actively expressed positions aligned with the ruling party on issues such as the 'forced repatriation of North Korean fishermen' and the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering subcontractor union strike.

As a medical doctor, he emphasizes his expertise on health and quarantine issues and appears to be expanding his influence to policy suggestions. At the third Min-Dang-Jeong forum held on the 26th under the theme "Scientific Quarantine and Vaccine Sovereignty in the Repeated Pandemic Era," Ahn pointed out problems with the current quarantine system where the Prime Minister holds the final decision-making power, saying, "Scientific quarantine means that experts, not politicians, decide quarantine policies based on scientific evidence." On the 27th, he also demonstrated his expertise by visiting the Korea Ultra-Low Temperature COVID-19 Vaccine Logistics Center to inspect vaccine transportation and storage status.

Meanwhile, amid ongoing internal party turmoil due to repeated gaffes by Acting Leader Kwon Seong-dong, the presence of 'pro-Ahn Cheol-soo faction' figures in the party leadership is expected to further increase Ahn's influence within the party. On the 26th, the People Power Party Supreme Council announced that it would begin the procedure to appoint two individuals recommended by Ahn as Supreme Council members representing the People Party quota, planning to discuss the agenda as early as the 29th.

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