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| Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, co-leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), answers questions from reporters before a party meeting in Yeouido, Tuesday. / Yonhap |
NPAD leader concedes on signature pledge
By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo has lost another piece of his political soul by conceding his signature political initiative.
In a news conference, Ahn, now co-chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), announced that he would not insist on the abolition of parties' nomination of candidates for the June 4 local elections.
"I understand there are other voices in the party," the businessman-turned politician said, adding that he would not object to an opinion poll of party members and the public on the matter.
His reversal of stance came amid open objections by party stalwarts.
Ahn has used the abolition of nominations to press President Park Geun-hye, citing her presidential campaign pledge. He had demanded a meeting with Park on the issue, which was rejected Monday.
The new main opposition party, led by Ahn and Kim Han-gil, is also facing a leadership crisis.
The NPAD is a coalition between Ahn's two-lawmaker political group and the largest opposition Democratic Party (DP).
Kim and Ahn had both agreed to push for the nomination abolition.
Ahn appears to be the one that has lost the most by his announcement.
He alienated himself from his supporters by merging with the DP as many of them took it as a sign that he was willingly giving up his principle of no compromise with established politics.
Now, he has done it again, according to his critics; although a small number of supporters think that he is suffering from the growing pains of adapting to real politics.
"The NPAD decided to listen to party members as well as members of the public. Based on their wish, we will terminate various controversies and move forward," Ahn said. Co-Chairman Kim was with him.
The opposition party formed a committee that will handle a vote of all party members as well as a public opinion poll. It will decide how and when the party will conduct such a vote by the end of the week.
The party is expected to reflect 50 percent of the party vote and 50 percent of the public poll in reaching a final decision.
In the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election, then ruling party candidate Park, Rep. Moon Jae-in, the candidate from the DP, and independent Ahn all promised to end party nominations for local polls to reform the political landscape.
The system is accused of fostering corruption and having local governments controlled by party headquarters.
Early last month, Ahn, who was then pushing for launching his own party, and Kim, the former DP chairman, decided to merge into the NPAD and agreed to abolish the system.
However, some hardline senior lawmakers expressed their opposition, saying if the NPAD does not nominate candidates, the election results are expected to be devastating for the party.
Rep. Jung Cheong-rae, who had called on the two chairmen not to abolish the nomination system in order to "save" about 3,000 party members, said he welcomed the decision to review it.
The ruling Saenuri Party downplayed Ahn's announcement, saying it was just a political ploy with the purpose of reversing a promise made to the public.
But Lee Jae-oh, a five-term lawmaker of the governing camp, said on his Twitter account: "President Park should make an apology as it is true that she broke her campaign pledge. At the same time, the opposition party should reflect on itself as it failed to draw up a bipartisan agreement to fulfill the campaign pledge due to its lack of bargaining power."
