Led by Returned Daughter Dr. An Seolhee... An's 'Flawless Family History' Discriminatory Moves, Will They Spark a Reaction?

Dr. An Seol-hee, Daughter, Returns Home on the 23rd... Family Likely to Begin Supporting Presidential Campaign
Lee Faces 'Son's Illegal Gambling', Yoon Faces 'Kim Gun-hee Recording' Amid 'Family Risks'
Meanwhile, Ahn Praised for 'Flawless Family History' and Moral Strength
Ahn Cheol-soo's Rising Approval Rate Stalls After 6 Weeks

Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Party, and his wife Kim Mi-kyung are greeting people during their visit to Masan Fish Market in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam Province on the afternoon of the 22nd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] As the two leading candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and Yoon Seok-youl of the People Power Party, face difficulties due to so-called 'family risks,' attention is gathering on whether Ahn Cheol-soo, the candidate of the People’s Party, with his 'flawless' family background, can make an impact in the presidential race. Some of Ahn’s supporters are placing their hopes on the assistance from Ahn’s family, starting with the return of his daughter, Dr. Ahn Seol-hee.

On the 23rd, while completing his schedule in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam (PK), Ahn met Dr. Ahn Seol-hee at Incheon International Airport upon her return from the United States. Regarding Dr. Ahn’s public activities, Ahn said, "Due to the ten-day quarantine period required by COVID-19 self-isolation regulations, she won’t be able to do much," adding, "Perhaps she has a scheduled lecture now, but she will be able to communicate with people remotely."

Dr. Ahn, who is working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego campus, was introduced domestically after her research achievements were featured in The New York Times (NYT). On the 1st of this month (local time), NYT published an article titled "The Coronavirus in a Tiny Drop," introducing the research results of the team Dr. Ahn belongs to. In this study, Dr. Ahn led simulations of the spike protein opening process.

NYT described it as "a new simulation showing how the virus survives in tiny airborne droplets," explaining that "this research clarifies why the Delta and Omicron variants can spread more widely."

Among Ahn’s supporters, expectations are rising for the impact of his 'flawless family background.' Unlike the two major party candidates who are sweating over successive family controversies, Ahn is free from 'family risks.'

Previously, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung faced difficulties due to allegations of illegal activities involving his son. The YouTube channel 'Garo Sero Research Institute' filed a complaint in December last year against Lee’s eldest son, Mr. Lee, for habitual gambling and violations of the Game Industry Promotion Act. In the complaint, they stated, "The defendant’s actions constitute habitual illegal gambling and must be severely punished," adding, "Especially since the defendant is the son of a presidential candidate who may be responsible for the country in the future, a thorough investigation and strict punishment are necessary."

In response, Lee admitted his son’s illegal gambling and issued an official apology. On December 16 last year, he released a statement titled "Apologies for my son’s wrongdoing," saying, "As a parent, I was lacking in teaching my child," and promised, "I will ensure this never happens again. He will also receive treatment."

The recently released '7-hour phone recordings' of Kim Geon-hee fueled the 'shamanism controversy' surrounding People Power Party candidate Yoon Seok-youl. The recordings, released through MBC’s 'Straight' and the YouTube channel 'Voice of Seoul,' repeatedly mentioned shamanism-related content. Previously, Yoon was also caught up in the controversy when he was seen with the character 'King (王)' written on his palm during a party primary TV debate, and allegations surfaced that a shaman named Jeon, known as 'Geonjin Bonsa,' was active within his campaign.

On the 17th, after attending the Buddhist Leaders Forum, Yoon apologized to reporters regarding the Kim recordings, saying, "I am sorry for causing concern to many people." Regarding the allegations that a shaman was involved in the People Power Party’s campaign headquarters, he explained, "I was introduced by a party official and greeted him, but I know him as a monk, not a shaman. He does not hold any position within the campaign headquarters."

Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Party, and his wife, Professor Kim Mi-kyung of Seoul National University, are greeting their daughter, Dr. Ahn Seol-hee, who returned from the United States, at Incheon Airport on the afternoon of the 23rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In political circles, it is predicted that the full-scale support from Ahn’s family, including Dr. Ahn who has returned to Korea, will begin. Dr. Ahn also supported Ahn’s presidential campaign last year through video calls. On December 16 last year, she appeared on the YouTube channel 'Ahn Cheol-soo Communication Live,' saying, "As a daughter, my heart is heavy, but as a young Korean, I am grateful that someone like my father is involved in politics," and added, "I hope more people like my father will engage in politics."

Meanwhile, Ahn’s rising trend has stalled after six weeks. According to a Realmeter survey commissioned by OhmyNews conducted from the 16th to the 21st among 3,046 people aged 18 and over nationwide, Ahn’s support rate was 10%. This is a 2.9 percentage point drop compared to the same survey one week earlier (second week of January, 12.9%).

Ahn’s rise began in mid-December last year. In the survey one month earlier (third week of December), Ahn’s support rate was only 3.9%, but it gradually increased to △5.6% in the fourth week of December △6.6% in the fifth week of December △11.1% in the first week of January △12.9% in the second week of January, solidifying a 'two-strong-one-middle' structure. This 'Ahn Wind (Anpung)' was attributed to his moral superiority over the candidates of the two major parties. For detailed information, please refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission.