Ahn Cheol-soo: "No Candidacy for Parties Responsible in By-Elections"... Proposes Measures to Eradicate Corruption in Politics

Claim to Cut Party State Subsidies if Public Officials Convicted of Corruption Crimes
President Yoon Seok-yeol Also Supports Three Major Reforms

Ahn Cheol-soo, the People Power Party candidate for party leader in the party convention, advocated for measures such as no nomination for the party responsible for by-elections, and reduction of party state subsidies when public officials are convicted of corruption crimes, to eradicate corruption in the political sphere.

On the 24th, Candidate Ahn held the 3rd policy vision presentation at the National Assembly under the theme of "Support Measures for the Government's Three Major Reforms and Measures to Eradicate Corruption in Politics."

Ahn Cheol-soo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is presenting the 3rd policy vision at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 24th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

At the event, Candidate Ahn stated, "The corruption charges against the leader of the main opposition party are not merely a personal issue but should serve as an opportunity to institutionalize the responsibility of the political sphere and political parties, ensuring that corrupt politics cannot take root in Yeouido." He added, "When elected officials belonging to a party are involved in corruption, a system reform must be implemented to strengthen the party's self-responsibility by imposing strong joint responsibility."

First, Candidate Ahn plans to lead a joint declaration between ruling and opposition parties to include and uphold a clause in the party constitution that prohibits nominating candidates from parties responsible for by-elections due to serious crimes. Additionally, if a party with such responsibility nominates a candidate, he intends to push for amendments to the Public Official Election Act to make the party bear the full cost of the by-election. Candidate Ahn said, "I will hold morally bankrupt parties that nominate candidates despite shameless crimes like those of Mayors Park Won-soon and Oh Keo-don financially accountable."

If elected officials such as members of the National Assembly or local government heads are convicted of corruption crimes, a certain percentage of the party's state subsidies will be cut or reclaimed. This is to impose joint responsibility on the party.

Candidate Ahn also plans to support President Yoon Seok-youl’s so-called "three major reforms" in labor, pensions, and education. He intends to create a nationwide support group of 10,000 people, including civil society and experts, called the "Three Major Reforms National Promotion Support Group," to promote public consensus. Candidate Ahn emphasized, "Through expanding national consensus, we will make the three major reforms a catalyst for victory in the general election," adding, "If we meet the people nationwide with rationality, legitimacy, and sincerity about reform, we can surely create a framework of 'reform versus anti-reform' and 'future versus past.'"

To this end, Candidate Ahn will serve as co-leader of the National Reform Promotion Group and embark on a "100-day reform tour," and he also expressed his ambition to lead a "joint ruling and opposition declaration for pension reform" through party leader talks. Candidate Ahn said, "I will move away from desk politics that merely urge the opposition to join reforms and go directly to the field," adding, "I will listen to the voices of the people on-site and explain the contents of the reforms." He further stated, "If the painful pension reform is left solely to the president and the political sphere does not do its part, it is a clear dereliction of duty."

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