Ahn Cheol-soo: "To Avoid Double Standards, Kim Gun-hee Must Clarify Luxury Bag Issue"

"Although It Is a Political Trap, We Must Win Hearts at the People's Level"

Amid demands from some ruling party members for an apology from First Lady Kim Keon-hee regarding the 'luxury bag suspicion,' Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party stated, "To avoid repeating the Moon Jae-in administration, which lost power due to double standards, we must be strict with ourselves," adding, "A sincere expression of position is inevitable."

Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the 21st, Ahn posted on his Facebook, "In times of crisis, we must walk the right path. If we seek together, we will find the way, and if we go together, it will become the path. I cannot help but speak frankly once again for the hopes embedded in the regime change after five years made possible by our people and for our party's victory in the general election," he said.

Ahn emphasized, "Although this incident originated as a political trap, we must regain the people's trust through honest expressions from the people's perspective," adding, "The people's viewpoint must always come first." He also stated, "We must expedite the establishment of the Second Secretariat and the unconditional appointment of a special inspector," and "Only by backing this with prompt action beyond progressive remarks can we meet the people's expectations."

Reporter Dongju Yoon doso7@

He further wrote, "Even after the launch of the Emergency Response Committee, the party's approval rating remains neck and neck with the Democratic Party despite the Lee Jae-myung risk," and "If tomorrow were the general election, the result would be disastrous." This pointed to the reality that the party's approval rating has not risen since Han Dong-hoon’s Emergency Response Committee took office, and the government's approval rating remains at 30%. He added, "We must not rely solely on vague optimism without facing public sentiment, as seen in the Gangseo District Office by-election," expressing concern that "If the ruling party loses the general election, South Korea will fall into chaos."

Earlier, the internet media outlet 'Seoul Voice' released a video on its YouTube channel on the 27th of last month showing First Lady Kim seemingly receiving a luxury brand 'Dior' bag worth about 3 million won from Pastor Choi Jae-young, known as a U.S. citizen, at the Acrovista Cobana Contents office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on September 13 of last year.