Ahn Cheol-soo touts himself as candidate free from 'family risks'

Ahn Cheol-soo, front, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition conservative People's Party, wears a medical gown before beginning volunteer work at a COVID-19 testing station in a downtown Seoul community health center, Wednesday. Ahn was joined by his wife Kim Mi-kyung, behind him, who also volunteered her medical services and their daughter Ahn Surl-hee, back, who volunteered in an administrative capacity. Joint Press Corps

By Jung Da-min

Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition conservative People's Party, found a new campaign tactic recently that can help garner more attention in the presidential race: Unlike his opponents, particularly the two frontrunners who are reeling from allegations surrounding their spouses, he has no family members embroiled in controversies.

Ahn recently has put much emphasis on criticizing the two mainstream rivals ― Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) ― as they have faced allegations of illegal or immoral behavior against themselves and their family members.

"They are the prototypes of unqualified candidates. If someone asks others to vote for those flawed candidates, I think this is a sort of abuse. No one can force voters to choose between two flawed candidates," Ahn was quoted as saying in a statement released by his party on Thursday.

"Now is the time for the people to find the right candidate who does not lie to them, who is capable and has a global mindset."

People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo's wife Kim Mi-kyung, right, and daughter Ahn Surl-hee wave to traffic in the Gwanghwamun area of central Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

If either of the candidates wins the presidential election, he went on to say that the nation will be divided further amid partisan bickering.

"Considering the size of the national budget and number of voters, it is said that each vote is worth about 67 million won ($55,560)," Ahn said, adding that this price would be much higher when accounting for the future value of the country that will be led by the next president of the people's choosing.

"When major companies hire employees, they consider job candidates' global competency as the top priority among other criteria, and the same rule should be applied to presidential candidates. We must not waste such a precious vote worth tens of millions of won by voting for any candidate representing either of the two major parties while not thoroughly reviewing their qualifications."

Ahn did not attend the meeting himself as he was preparing for a four-way TV debate held later in the evening. He participated in the TV debate along with Lee, Yoon and Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition progressive Justice Party.

To promote his image as an alternative candidate who is free from scandals, Ahn and his wife volunteered their medical services at a COVID-19 testing station in central Seoul, Wednesday, joined by their daughter who provided administrative support.

Ahn and his wife met when they attended the same medical school. They also volunteered as doctors in Daegu in March 2020, when the city was experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Ahn's wife and daughter also hit the streets in the Gwanghwamun area in central Seoul, Thursday morning, to appeal to commuters.

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