"Do You Regret Unifying with Yoon?" Ahn Cheol-soo's Sigh and Response

Ahn Cheol-soo BBC Korea Interview on the 9th
"I Could Never Imagine Constitutional Violation"
"If No Concrete Plan Is Presented,
I Will Have No Choice but to Support Impeachment Again"

People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo lamented, saying, "I never imagined that it would come to the point of trampling on the constitution like this," referring to his unification with President Yoon Suk-yeol during the last presidential election.

In an interview with BBC Korea released on the 9th, Ahn explained the reason for unifying with President Yoon during the 2022 presidential election.

Earlier, the two declared a last-minute "candidate unification" six days before the 2022 presidential election. In their joint statement, they said, "We have agreed to unite our intentions as a start to creating a better Republic of Korea," and "Through a mutually complementary, competent, and prepared administration, we will surely establish a successful government. We will proceed to prepare for an era of great transformation for change and innovation in the Republic of Korea solely according to the will of the people."

Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, lamented, "I never imagined that they would go so far as to trample on the constitution like this" regarding the unification with President Yoon Suk-yeol in the last presidential election. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group/ Yonhap News

When asked, "Didn't you unify with President Yoon?" Ahn immediately lowered his head, sighed, and said, "In the end, at that time..." before pausing. He said, "Among the candidates from the two major parties who ran in the last presidential election, one was a criminal suspect, and the other was a novice," adding, "Even so, seeing that it was difficult for me, who was neither of those two, to be chosen as a third-party candidate, I thought, 'If this system doesn't change, no matter how hard I try, I won't be able to change it.'"

He continued, "Even though one person was a novice, I thought it would be better to support that novice side," and said, "No one could have imagined that it would come to the point of trampling on the constitution like this." He then criticized President Yoon's governance, saying, "It is very dangerous if only our side, only the people I meet, only those who listen to me well, and only those with similar thoughts gather. It strengthens biased thinking."

Ahn, who was the first People Power Party lawmaker to cast a favorable vote, also said that if no specific plan is presented before the second vote on the 14th, he will have no choice but to support impeachment again. Ahn stated, "I clearly expressed my position at the party meeting that I will stay and vote." He added, "There were some who severely criticized me for expressing my intention to vote," emphasizing, "But my most important standard is the people. I believe the people stopped this situation." He then strongly stated, "The president, who should uphold the constitution, has trampled on and destroyed it. And the president still holds all the authority. It is not right for this situation to continue."