Kim Ki-hyun "Is Ahn Cheol-soo so poor that he wears holey socks?"

Kim Ki-hyun Appears on YTN Radio Criticizing Ahn Cheol-soo
"I Wonder Why He Feels the Need to Emphasize Jeans"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party running for party leadership, criticized Ahn Cheol-soo's 'worn-out socks' that became a hot topic, saying, "I don't know if he is so poor that he has to wear socks with holes."

On the 31st, Kim appeared on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' and said, "I wondered if it was really necessary to emphasize jeans and socks with holes."

Earlier, on the 29th, Ahn revealed himself wearing socks worn out to the point that the soles were visible at the 'Talk Concert Inviting Ahn Cheol-soo for the Future of Youth in the Metropolitan Area' held in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. On that day, Ahn said, "I really save things and food," and "So I collected and donated 150 billion won," which became a hot topic.

Ahn Cheol-soo, a presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is showing his worn-out socks after receiving new socks as a gift from a supporter at a talk concert for the future of young people in the metropolitan area held at the Gyeonggi Textile Comprehensive Support Center in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province on the 29th. Photo by Yonhap News

In response, Kim said, "I was born into a dirt spoon family, and my wife was also born into a penniless family," adding, "We live together as a dirt spoon couple, but we are not so poor that we have to wear socks with holes."

Regarding Ahn's criticism last week of his metropolitan area launch event as a 'gymnasium election,' Kim rebutted, "The People Power Party is a party that holds large-scale party conventions to elect presidential candidates and party leaders," and "We have never elected a leader in the form of a one-person party by acclamation, and the party leader's election is completely different from a party where the leader is acclaimed."

He continued, "Calling a properly conducted party convention a 'gymnasium election' made the party seem old-fashioned," and pointed out, "The content of the criticism does not correspond to the facts."

Regarding the first public opinion poll showing Ahn leading, Kim said, "I consider it a temporary phenomenon," adding, "The party sentiment is heating up very intensely, and I could feel overwhelming support for Kim Ki-hyun even in the metropolitan area (at the metropolitan area launch event)."