Kim Geun-sik "Ahn Cheol-soo's Proposal for Unification with People Power Party Welcomed... Division is Certain Defeat"

"Welcoming the very idea of Ahn Cheol-soo's unification, but need to review party rules and other aspects"
"Division is certain defeat; must win Seoul mayoral race through opposition unification"

Professor Kim Geun-sik, chairman of the Seoul Songpa-byeong district of the People Power Party and a candidate for the Seoul mayoral election, is explaining his political direction and reasons for running for Seoul mayor. Photo by Joohee Kang kjh818@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, expressed his intention to participate in the People Power Party primary while maintaining his party membership. Meanwhile, Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman, expressed a negative view. Additionally, the People Power Party closed candidate registration for the April 7 by-election preliminary primary on the 21st, effectively ending early discussions on unification.

However, some Seoul mayoral candidates have responded positively to Ahn’s proposal, drawing attention to what outcomes might emerge at future unification talks.

Kim Geun-sik, head of the People Power Party’s Songpa-byeong district committee and a Seoul mayoral by-election candidate, stated he would unconditionally accept Ahn’s unification proposal. However, he noted that since there are issues related to amending party rules and regulations, some internal arrangements within the party are necessary.

In an interview with Asia Economy, Kim emphasized, “I view Ahn’s proposal itself positively.” He added, “I believe it reconfirms the will for opposition unification. Both Ahn’s side and the People Power Party side can discuss unification, so it is a progressive and positive proposal.”

He continued, “I welcome this as part of the opposition unification process for the Seoul mayoral candidate. Ahn’s proposal expresses the will for such unification.”

Regarding the future unification process, he said, “I believe that division leads to certain defeat, and unification leads to victory.” He added, “It is natural for everyone, including Ahn, to want to lead the unification, but it is unacceptable to criticize each other excessively. Understanding and embracing each other should come first.”

Professor Kim Geun-sik, Gyeongnam National University. Yonhap News Agency

He further stated, “I do not want to view the background of Ahn’s proposal politically or strategically; I want to interpret it positively as an urgent and desperate effort to achieve unification.” He added, “However, as Rep. Jeong Jin-seok said, there seem to be issues with party members and party rules. Appropriate measures will be necessary.”

Earlier, on the 19th, Jeong Jin-seok, head of the People Power Party’s nomination management committee, pointed out on his Facebook post that Ahn’s proposal for an “open primary platform for the entire opposition” is a difficult issue requiring changes to the party’s rules and regulations if participation without joining the party is allowed.

Jeong noted, “According to the People Power Party’s rules, to participate in our party’s primary, one must be a responsible party member and hold party membership through joining. Ahn Cheol-soo’s proposal today only entrusts the primary management to the People Power Party but is not much different from the ‘one-shot primary’ that Ahn’s side has preferred so far.”

However, he evaluated positively, saying, “I appreciate that Ahn’s proposal today presented a practical and concrete starting point for candidate unification discussions. It has created an opportunity for serious unification talks to begin. There is still a long way to go, but there is enough time.”

Meanwhile, regarding Ahn’s claim that the primary should be held together, the People Power Party completed its candidate registration on the 21st, signaling a pause in unification discussions proposed by Ahn.

With the early unification process with Ahn settled, Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman, predicted that future unification discussions would take place around March, the month before the election. Appearing on a broadcast that afternoon, Kim said about a “three-way unification,” “If the opposition candidates unify, there is no need for a three-way race. The three-way scenario likely occurs when a candidate runs despite not accepting unification.”

He added, “The other option is to confirm our party’s candidate and then, around early March, ask the public who the suitable candidate is. I hope people wait until then, but as for Ahn, I don’t know what he’s thinking. As the main opposition party, we cannot blindly follow the wishes of a particular individual when he asks to open the door broadly.”