Ahn Cheol-soo Strongly Refutes "President's Office Election Campaign Involvement" Post as a "Serious Contradiction"
Kim Ki-hyun Says "Ahn Tries to Gain Votes by Exploiting the President"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Presidential Office expressed strong displeasure on the 5th regarding Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party running for party leader in the March 8 convention, referring to the 'Yoon-Ahn (Yoon Seok-yeol·Ahn Cheol-soo) alliance.'
Lee Jin-bok, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Presidential Office, met with Emergency Response Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok after Ahn posted on Facebook suggesting that "the Presidential Office is interfering in the election campaign," and strongly criticized this as a "very wrong contradiction."
After meeting with Chairman Jeong, Senior Secretary Lee said, "Who used the expression 'Anyoon alliance'? That is really a wrong expression," adding, "I have never heard a candidate for party leader described as being on equal footing with the president or using the term 'alliance'."
He also pointed out, "Using such expressions can only be seen as Ahn's intention to drag the president into the election. It is very unfair for some candidates to portray the Presidential Office aides as sycophants. How is that different from attacking the president?"
People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok is meeting with Lee Jin-bok, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs of the Presidential Office, and Jeon Hee-kyung, Political Secretary 1, at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
He continued, "I came to ask the Emergency Response Committee Chairman to request that Candidate Ahn no longer involve the president and instead focus on policies and logical discussions among candidates during the election."
However, regarding reports that the president called Ahn an "enemy," he drew a line, saying, "I have never heard such a thing." On lawyer Shin Pyeong's comment that the president might leave the party, he said, "That is not even a matter for us to discuss."
Recently, Ahn mentioned at party member meetings that there is a "particularly well-matched alliance, the Yoon-Ahn alliance, an alliance between President Yoon and Ahn Cheol-soo." This appears to emphasize the unification of candidates between Ahn and President Yoon during the presidential election. Ahn also posted on his Facebook that "What is happening now is a grave matter that undermines the foundation of party democracy by the Presidential Office's election interference," and proposed "holding a fair election and clean election agreement ceremony."
Emergency Response Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok said to reporters after meeting with Senior Secretary Lee, "It is not desirable to involve the president and the Presidential Office in the party election," adding, "I also think expressions like 'Yoon-Ahn alliance' are very inappropriate. It could damage the president's leadership, and although unintentional, we must be very cautious."
Kim Ki-hyun, a lawmaker competing for party leadership, also criticized Ahn. On his Facebook, Kim said, "I agree with Candidate Ahn's proposal for a fair and clean convention without 'Yoonism pandering,'" but pointed out, "Who led the current internal strife? Who is the one who spread the 'Yoon-Ahn alliance' and the president's alliance guarantor nationwide, trying to sell the president to gather votes?"
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