Ahn Cheol-soo: "If Kim Ki-hyun, Na Kyung-won, and Yoo Seung-min Combine, It's Ahn Cheol-soo"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Ahn Cheol-soo, a ruling party presidential candidate and member of the People Power Party, emphasized that he is the candidate who possesses all of 'Kim Ki-hyun's pro-Yoon (親尹)', 'Na Kyung-won's metropolitan area strength', and 'Yoo Seung-min's expansiveness'.

On the 20th, on KBS's "Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs," Ahn said, "It is said that Kim Ki-hyun has a good relationship with President Yoon Seok-yeol, but I have an equally good relationship," adding, "Na Kyung-won has strengths in the metropolitan area, and Yoo Seung-min is said to have external expansion, but in fact, I am the candidate who has all three."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He claims to be the candidate who possesses all the strengths that major candidates promote. Regarding the recent absence of Na Kyung-won due to attacks from pro-Yoon faction lawmakers, he said, "It is truly unfortunate. Although Na Kyung-won made mistakes, I fundamentally believe that embracing everyone is very desirable," adding, "From the general public's perspective, it may look like the majority within the party is suppressing others, and if that happens, people’s hearts may drift away."

He continued, "Looking back, there have been many cases where we lost elections due to division despite being in a winning position," and said, "I believe it is right for us to unify as much as possible and fight the election as one coalition."

In response to the host's question about whether the presidential office is excluding a particular candidate, he said, "I don't necessarily see it that way," adding, "Na Kyung-won has held various public offices, and perhaps there were some differences in assumptions during that process."

Regarding Kim Ki-hyun, who is competing for party leadership and said, "I will prevent the election from going to a runoff," Ahn called it a "hopeful wish," and said, "No matter who my opponent is in the runoff, I am confident that I will win."