Ahn meet with DUP advisor
By Yi Whan-woo
The meeting between Ahn Cheol-soo and a senior advisor of the Democratic United Party (DUP) on Monday raises speculation on Ahn’s possible support for main opposition challenger Moon Jae-in in the Dec. 19 presidential election.
The aides of and Moon said Friday Sohn Hak-kyu, the senior advisor, met former presidential contender privately and asked for his collaboration in preventing conservatives from retaining the country’s most powerful office.
“Creating new politics is as important as establishing new (liberal) government,” Sohn was quoted as saying by a DUP official.
Ahn made an abrupt withdrawal from the presidential race on Nov. 23 following consistent disharmony between him and Moon in merging their candidacies. The independent said he “takes all the blames for conflicts in efforts for a single candidacy” but added later that he was “shocked” by Moon’s aggressiveness toward presidency.
Observers say Sohn volunteered to serve as a mediator between Ahn and Moon because he lost to the standard bearer of the DUP in its primary race this year and sympathized with the independent.
Both Sohn and Ahn are politically moderate and also are against late President Roh Moo-hyun’s followers at the DUP. Their political affiliation raises speculations that Sohn is persuading Ahn to throw support for Moon whom he decided to help win the election.
Ahn, the popular politician among people between their 20s and 40s and urban dwellers, is still capable of drawing votes as seen from increased number of uncommitted voters following his withdrawal. The population of undecided voters is estimated at 20 percent among all electorate with a tight two-way race between the DUP contender and Park Geun-hye of the ruling Saenuri Party underway.
Ahn’s election campaign, however, declined to comment on any speculation.
“To the best of my understanding, he and Sohn met just to share their feelings and to talk about the need for the new government by the liberals,” said Yoo Min-young, Ahn’s spokesman.
The independent’s campaign will hold a disbandment ceremony on Monday at 3 p.m. at its building in Gongpyeong-dong, downtown Seoul. Ahn is expected to be present with anticipation that he will make comment on his stance toward Moon.
Some experts, however, doubt whether Ahn’s support for the DUP candidate will be possible, citing various restrictive rules.
The Article 103 of the election law restricts groups other than election campaigns of active presidential candidates from holding a rally or a meeting to influence the election.
“We will keep track of the developments regarding the ceremony and decide whether
Ahn violated the law in case he mentions on throwing support for Moon,” an official of the National Election Commission said. “We, however, deem the ceremony will be a simple meeting to bid farewell to each other. And it’s very unlikely that the independent will use the ceremony politically.”