People Party: "Ahn has not expressed intention to join Emergency National Solidarity as co-representative"

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] On the 11th, the People’s Party stated regarding the co-chair position of the 'Emergency National Coalition to End Tyranny and Achieve Democracy,' “While we agree with the major purpose of resisting the current regime’s tyranny and uniting political parties and civil society, Ahn Cheol-soo, the leader of the People’s Party, has not expressed any intention to participate in or accept the co-chair position.”

Previously, representatives of conservative political parties and social organizations held a joint meeting the day before and launched the 'Emergency National Coalition to End Tyranny and Achieve Democracy.' The coalition is said to be operated under a seven-person co-chair system, including Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party; Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party; Lee Jae-oh, executive chairman of the National Integration Coalition; Lee Hee-beom, leader of the Liberty Coalition; Kim Tae-hoon, president of the Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea; Jang Ki-pyo, director of the New Civilization Policy Institute; and Kim Moon-soo, former governor of Gyeonggi Province.

In a statement issued at the joint meeting, they said, “A dictatorship where a single individual, the president, rules everything has begun,” and “For the first time in 70 years of constitutional history, the Democratic Party of Korea has degenerated into a so-called ‘single-party state’ overwhelming all other parties.” They added, “We will unite under the righteous cause of early removal of the Moon Jae-in administration and normalization of the country,” and urged, “Let us temporarily set aside idle disputes over shares and factional struggles to fight decisively against the tyrannical forces.”