[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Despite clashes with the Presidential Office, Ahn Cheol-soo's camp, a candidate in the People Power Party leadership election, has launched another offensive, stating "there will be no mid-course withdrawal." Instead of using the term 'Yunhaekgwan (Yoon Seok-yeol's key associates),' which the Presidential Office expressed dissatisfaction with, they are attempting a roundabout counterattack using the term 'bodyguards.'
Ahn Cheol-soo, a candidate for the leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Cooperation Forum hosted by the Korean Association for Public Administration held at the National Assembly on the 18th. He is talking with attendees before the event begins. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
"No Withdrawal"... Ahn Cheol-soo Emphasized by the Camp
Kim Young-woo, the campaign committee chairman representing candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "There is absolutely no possibility of withdrawal. That's why it's Ahn Cheol-soo. Until now, we haven't emphasized the surname that much, but this time we are truly fired up with determination."
The frequent mention of 'Cheol-soo,' which is also Ahn's given name, stems from the perspective that his past records of founding parties, leaving parties, and merging parties, which involved concessions, are seen as 'withdrawals.' Therefore, by combining his surname 'Ahn' with 'Cheol-soo,' it is interpreted as a reemphasis on the meaning of 'not withdrawing.'
However, this time, Ahn's camp insists it is 'different from the past.' Chairman Kim said, "Until now, he was mainly the leader of small parties, the third or fourth parties. For regime change, unification was inevitable, and such political decisions have been made. But now, he is coming to the ruling party, the big house, to become the party leader. He is currently the most prominent candidate, so why would he suddenly drop out? That is not even in our minds."
After the Presidential Office showed a sensitive reaction to the term 'Yunhaekgwan,' Ahn's camp expressed their intention not to use it and bowed slightly for the time being, but they appear to be making a 'passive counterattack' with the new term 'bodyguards.' Chairman Kim said, "I hope President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'bodyguard lawmakers' reflect on what this leadership election is for. I also think 'Yunhaekgwan' is not a good term, but it is too difficult to name each individual."
Candidate Ahn is expected to reemphasize the 'Capital Region Representative Theory' during the policy presentation held that day and naturally resume political activities. Former People Power Party Supreme Council member Kim Jae-won, who is running for the Supreme Council, said on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs,' "If he participates in the vision presentation, he will probably engage in public activities naturally. I don't think this hiatus will last that long."
'Cheon Ha-ram' Surge... Pro-Yoon Faction Continues Attacks
On the 7th, at a broadcasting studio in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, the leadership of the People Power Party and the party representative candidates, including Emergency Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok and Floor Leader Joo Ho-young, are taking a commemorative photo at the 3rd party convention candidate vision presentation. From the left: party representative candidates Cho Kyung-tae, Yoon Sang-hyun, Hwang Kyo-ahn, Ahn Cheol-soo, Cheon Ha-ram, Kim Ki-hyun; Emergency Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok; Election Commission Chairman Yoo Heung-soo; Floor Leader Joo Ho-young; Secretary-General Kim Seok-ki. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
Not only has Ahn's camp been shaken by recent clashes with the Presidential Office, but the rise of Cheon Ha-ram, who is part of the 'Lee Jun-seok faction,' is also one of Ahn's crisis factors. On that day, candidate Cheon attacked Ahn on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs,' saying, "He wanted to be pro-Yoon but was somewhat abandoned, so he attacks the Yunhaekgwan. In my view, there is a somewhat opportunistic aspect."
He added, "Since I am the best reform-oriented candidate, there might be some downside in that regard." Although Ahn hinted at an alliance in the runoff vote, Cheon drew a line, saying, "Honestly, I don't know what an alliance means when there is a runoff vote."
Cheon said, "If Ahn talks about such things (alliance), it would be healthier to present reform and innovation tasks that can attract support from my supporters and compete with me in reform. Meeting secretly and saying, 'If I become party leader, I'll give you something,' and me saying, 'If I become something, I'll give you something'?such collusion has no emotional appeal."
The pro-Yoon faction also attacked Ahn that day. Kim Jung-jae, a People Power Party lawmaker classified as pro-Yoon, said on YTN's 'News King with Park Ji-hoon,' "Candidate Ahn is a Seoul National University graduate, but his major seems like 'Yonsei University' (a pun on 'alliance'). He has changed parties and founded new parties countless times because he had nowhere to go, resigning and changing leadership, and has done many alliances." The term 'alliance' is often used to refer to political coalitions but is also a pun on 'Yonsei University,' a well-known university in Korea.
However, some point out that the pro-Yoon faction's attacks also help boost Ahn. People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' "I only see candidate Ahn as the party leader candidate. If President Yoon gets directly involved, only President Yoon and candidate Ahn will be visible. Who is leading and fostering an election that makes only candidate Ahn visible?"
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