Following Ahn Cheol-soo, Even Geum Tae-seop Runs for Seoul Mayor... Opposition's 'Third Zone' Integration Rapidly Emerges

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Following Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop has announced his intention to run for Seoul mayor. He also stated that he will not participate in the primary of the main opposition party, the People Power Party, raising the possibility of opposition unity being formed outside the People Power Party. Voices calling for the necessity of a 'third zone' are also emerging within the People Power Party.

On the 22nd, former lawmaker Geum announced his candidacy for Seoul mayor through Facebook, saying, "I will take the lead in reshaping the game and showing a changed image." He said, "I think the most important meaning of this election is to check the ruling party’s unilateral dominance," but added, "It is not right to think 'Since they did wrong, this time it must be the opposition,' and that approach will not win."

In an interview reported that day, he expressed that opposition candidates should unify and that he would not participate in the People Power Party primary. With former lawmaker Geum, who was considered a strong candidate for Seoul mayor following leader Ahn, also avoiding the People Power Party primary, the possibility of a third zone rapidly emerging has increased.

Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam National University, who is also considering running for Seoul mayor within the People Power Party, appeared on CBS Radio’s 'Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show' that day and said, "Let’s set a cutoff at a certain percentage of support or number of people, and create a broad opposition unified candidate primary committee in the third zone outside the party with those people, leader Ahn, and if desired, former lawmaker Geum." He cited the 2002 unification of candidates Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mong-joon, and the 2011 Seoul mayor broad opposition unified candidate primary as examples.

There are also calls for leader Ahn to clearly state his unification plan. Former People Power Party lawmaker Oh Shin-hwan, who welcomed Ahn’s candidacy and advocated for a 'one-shot primary,' said on Facebook on the 21st, "It is excessive to talk about a 'broad opposition coalition government' while serving a one-year term as Seoul mayor," and added, "What leader Ahn needs to talk about now is the unification plan he envisions."

Former lawmaker Lee Hye-hoon, who is running for Seoul mayor, said on YTN Radio’s 'Hwang Bo-seon’s Start Morning' that day, "There is a way to enter the People Power Party and participate in the primary, and there is a possibility of last-minute unification with the candidate selected by the People Power Party later, but leader Ahn seems to prefer the latter," adding, "It is cleaner to enter the People Power Party and participate."