Ahn Cheol-soo Faction Demands Integration and Alliance with Future United Party... Ahn Refuses

An "Will Pursue a Practical Centrist Political Path"
Possibility of Defection Ahead of Official Launch of the People's Party
Party Support Rate at 2.3%, Lower Than Bareunmirae Party

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The People’s Party (tentative name), set to officially launch this week, is facing rising demands for integration and alliance with the United Future Party. Following the recent entry of Kim Jung-ro, a former Bareunmirae Party member, into the United Future Party, there are also concerns about the possible additional defections of Ahn Cheol-soo faction lawmakers. Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of the party’s founding preparation committee, clearly rejected the possibility of an anti-Moon (anti-Moon Jae-in) alliance.

On the 21st, at the Central Steering Committee meeting of the Founding Preparation Committee held at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building, Chairman Ahn said, “Upon returning to Korea, I stated that I would pursue a practical centrist political path. Although this path is by no means easy, it is the right path for our country, so I intend to follow it.” He added, “With a resolve of life-or-death, I will try to break through the high and thick walls of vested interest politics that hold our country back. Even if it is lonely and difficult, I will follow the path promised to the people.”

Chairman Ahn acknowledged that “there is some merit to the argument for an anti-Moon alliance to stop the Moon Jae-in administration’s tyranny,” but emphasized, “However, preventing the worst 20th National Assembly from continuing unchanged into the next assembly, and transitioning from factional politics that only fight to practical politics that solve people’s livelihood issues, is a precious value for the Republic of Korea that cannot be given up and a reform path that must be taken.”

Proportional representatives from the Ahn Cheol-soo faction proposed integration and alliance with the United Future Party during a dinner meeting with Chairman Ahn on the 19th. Analysts suggest that the 21st general election landscape being reshaped into a ‘Democratic Party of Korea vs. United Future Party’ contest has made Ahn Cheol-soo faction lawmakers running in constituencies anxious. Recently, some lawmakers, including Lee Dong-seop, reportedly met with Yeom Dong-ryeol, the United Future Party’s talent recruitment committee chairman, to discuss party entry.

Lawmaker Kwon Eun-hee told reporters on the same day, “(At the dinner) I conveyed to Chairman Ahn the realistic concerns not only of the lawmakers but also of the out-of-parliament committee chairpersons, as I thought he should know about them.” She added, “One of the Ahn Cheol-soo faction lawmakers said they are contemplating their future, and a decision related to that is expected to be made today.”

The People’s Party is scheduled to hold its central party founding on the 23rd. However, the party’s current approval rating remains stagnant. This inevitably leads to the conclusion that the People’s Party will find it difficult to survive independently in the general election. According to a survey conducted by Realmeter commissioned by tbs Traffic Broadcasting from the 17th to the 19th, targeting 1,508 voters aged 18 and over nationwide (response rate 5.6%, confidence level 95%, margin of error ±2.5 percentage points), the People’s Party’s approval rating was only 2.3%. This is lower than that of the Justice Party (4.2%) and even the Bareunmirae Party (3.2%), which they broke away from. For more details, refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.