Ahn Cheol-soo: "The 1st Opposition Party Convention is Over, Political Change is the Spirit of the Times"

"Clear Demand to Change the Framework and Content of Established Politics"

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People 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 Hyunju Lee] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, expressed his first opinion on the 13th after Lee Jun-seok was elected as the leader of the People Power Party.

On that day, Ahn said on his Facebook, "The ruling party convention that attracted attention has ended," adding, "Many people are offering various analyses and forecasts, but what is clear is the demand to change the framework and content of established politics and the national call for change that South Korea can no longer continue as it is."

Ahn, who visited the birthplace of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong and the Silhak Museum located in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province the day before, said, "I wanted to understand the mind of Dasan, who pondered the future of Joseon over 200 years ago."

Ahn explained, "Over 200 years ago, the world was in a period of change and great transformation. The Industrial Revolution occurred, science and technology developed dramatically, political freedom expanded, and voices for social equality grew louder. Western countries that adapted their political and social systems and advanced science and technology according to the trends of that era came to dominate the world," adding, "On the other hand, we were trapped in unproductive debates under the yoke of Neo-Confucianism, which caused regression not only in politics but in the entire country. The ‘Silhak’ movement, which attempted to break free from this, was suppressed by vested interests and failed to flourish."

Relating this to the current political situation, Ahn said, "Since democratization in 1987, ideology and factional logic have dominated politics for a long time, dividing public opinion and causing the entire country to regress," and claimed, "Although the government changes, self-serving politics have prevailed, and it has been a long time since a clear future direction for the country was presented." He emphasized, "If we fail to proactively adapt to this era of great transformation, we may repeat the tragic past of the late Joseon period. We must break free from outdated ideology and factional logic and find the best political structure and culture, economic growth policies, and optimal social combinations for integration to build a strong country and happy people."

He said, "Now, we are being asked to make a solemn judgment on which path South Korea will take based on the lessons of history. Will we fall into the fate of a frog slowly boiled in a pot, trapped in ideology and factional logic, or will we choose to achieve a great transformation into a country leading the world with the spirit of pragmatism and science and technology?" He named political change as the spirit of the times.

He continued, "The beginning of change started with the main opposition party, but I believe the responsibility to ensure the success of this change lies with all political parties, both ruling and opposition," and said, "The entire political sphere must engage in competition of vision and innovation to effectively harness the dynamic political energy that has erupted this time."