Woo Sangho: "Na Kyungwon Fails to Gain Attention from Either Side... Three-Way Race Without Ahn Cheolsu Likely"

"'Kim Moonsoo or Hong Junpyo vs Han Donghoon' Match-up Expected to Draw Attention"
Na Kyungwon Fails to Appeal to Support Base

Moonsoo Kim, Cheolsu Ahn, Donghun Han, Junpyo Hong, People Power Party presidential primary candidates. Yonhap News

Woo Sangho, former emergency committee chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, predicted that the presidential primary of the People Power Party is likely to become a three-way race among Kim Moonsoo, Han Donghoon, and Hong Junpyo. He analyzed that, following Na Kyungwon, candidate Ahn Cheolsu is also unlikely to be chosen.

On the 23rd, during an appearance on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyunjung's News Show,' Woo made these remarks. He stated, "The conservative-leaning base that opposed the impeachment appears to be split between Kim Moonsoo and Hong Junpyo, while the votes from supporters who favored impeachment seem to be divided between Han Donghoon and Ahn Cheolsu. Na Kyungwon seems to have been eliminated because she failed to attract attention from either side and found herself in an ambiguous position."

He continued, "In public opinion polls, Ahn Cheolsu was in the lower ranks, but it seems that a certain variable emerged this time, allowing him to pass the preliminary round. For example, if it's assumed that Han Donghoon and Ahn Cheolsu share a support base, it does not appear likely that Ahn Cheolsu will surpass Han Donghoon and advance to the final round."

He added, "Since Han Donghoon has previously won a leadership election, there are still lingering expectations from those who have supported him before. It seems that Han Donghoon will have an advantage over Ahn Cheolsu in the party member vote."

Candidate Hong Junpyo is speaking at the People Power Party's 21st presidential candidate first primary group debate held on the 20th at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Finally, Woo commented that, for the sake of public interest, it would be better for one of Kim Moonsoo or Hong Junpyo to face Han Donghoon, rather than a Kim Moonsoo versus Hong Junpyo match-up. He stated, "It's difficult to predict who will advance to the runoff (final two). Without the first-round data (results of the first primary opinion poll), it's hard to guess, but it's certain that Ahn Cheolsu's chances of making it to the final are not high."