Ahn Cheol-soo: "Kim Ki-hyun is a member of the extortion coalition and extortion supporters... Almost none of it is true"

"Am I the Only One Feeling That the Presidential Office and Emergency Committee Are Unfair?"

Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party running in the March 8 party convention, criticized his competitor Kim Ki-hyun on the 1st for emphasizing alliances with former lawmaker Na Kyung-won and others, calling it a "blackmail alliance, blackmail support."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, Ahn appeared on KBS Radio and stated, "(Kim candidate's alliance) is almost not true. That's why expressions like 'blackmail alliance' are circulating in the market." This is interpreted as criticism of Kim's announcement the previous day that he had secured support and formed alliances with former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae, and lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun.

At the joint speech event the day before, Ahn referred to former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who accompanied Kim, saying, "She was subjected to a group lynching and was effectively forced out of the party convention," adding, "Her expression yesterday also looked like she was forcibly brought out." He continued, "In the case of lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, he said he would not form an alliance and remained neutral, but (Kim candidate) keeps trying to sell it."

Ahn sharply criticized, "At first, it was sports star (Kim Yeon-koung) season 1, then former lawmaker Na season 2, lawmaker Yoon season 3, and even former Bareun Party district committee chairpersons season 4. Among these, almost nothing is true."

Ahn reiterated allegations regarding Kim's "Ulsan KTX station area land price speculation," emphasizing his own moral superiority. When asked about his unique competitiveness, he answered "noblesse oblige," saying, "Who else in our party or the entire political world risks their life to serve and donates half of their assets?" He criticized, "Kim candidate did not donate but rather engaged in land speculation," adding, "It would be resolved if he explained it in a way the public can accept, but he is not even addressing the basic issue of land prices."

He also expressed dissatisfaction with the fairness of the party convention. On the same day, Ahn wrote on his social media, "This party convention feels unfamiliar in many ways. Am I the only one who feels that the Presidential Office, the Emergency Committee, and the Election Commission are all unfair?" Ahn said, "It's not that I'm upset because no one is on my side," adding, "It's disappointing to see everyone thinking only about winning the party convention rather than the general election, and I am worried that the general election victory is endangered due to the greed of a few who want to monopolize the taste of power."

Regarding criticism from the Presidential Office over expressions like 'Ahn-Yoon alliance,' Ahn explained, "There are two reasons why I did not oppose the Presidential Office's unfair intervention," saying, "Party members were concerned about conflict between the President and the party leader, and I judged that internal party strife should be avoided." He added, "For me, regime change and winning the general election come before personal political dreams," and "If I can just win the general election, I would be willing to be the gatekeeper of the People Power Party."