Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
Ahn vows to respect poll result
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, co-chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, speaks at a Supreme Council meeting in the National Assembly, Seoul, Wednesday, while his fellow chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil looks on. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
NPAD will decide on abolishing party nominations today
By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, co-chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), said Wednesday that he will unconditionally follow the result of an opinion poll of party members and the public on whether to abolish party nominations of candidates to stand in local elections.
The poll was conducted Wednesday, and the result will determine whether party headquarters will nominate candidates for lower-level municipal and provincial mayoral and council positions in the June 4 elections.
The NPAD plans to announce the result today after first reporting to a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council.
Ahn, who insisted on scrapping the practice of parties selecting candidates, said, “I am ready to follow any decisions made by party members and the public. I will devote myself to a victory for the party in the local polls.”
Speaking at a party meeting, the businessman-turned politician also asked NPAD lawmakers, who have opposing opinions on the issue, to abide by the result of the poll.
“I hope all party members will concentrate on the local elections for victory. Continuous debate and controversy will do nothing for that,” he said. “We should fight against the arrogant governing power.”
Rep. Kim Han-gil, who also co-chairs the leading opposition party, stressed that Ahn’s concession is not a withdrawal of his pledge, but “a move to march toward to the future.”
“Once the poll result comes out, all party members should unite and immediately begin preparations for the elections,” said Kim.
The polls of party members and the public were conducted from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
All ruling and opposition candidates promised to scrap the party nomination system in the 2012 presidential election. But the ruling Saenuri Party then backed away from this promise.
Nevertheless, the Saenuri Party seized the opportunity to slam Ahn for compromising himself.
“It’s a fraud against the people, directed by the NPAD and starring its leader Ahn Cheol-soo,” said Saenuri Party spokesman Hong Ji-man.
There have been conflicting opinions within the NPAD, with some claiming that the party should nominate candidates because the ruling party also decided to do so, while others say they need to keep the promise made to the public.
Rep. Ahn’s decision to conduct such a poll, construed as a reversal of his original stance, came amid open objections by party stalwarts.
His position was also undermined after President Park Geun-hye rejected a proposal to meet and discuss the issue, Monday.
He has criticized President Park and the ruling party for breaking its campaign pledge, citing that ending the practice of party nominations was a pledge shared by Park, then the ruling party candidate, Rep. Moon Jae-in, the candidate from the now-defunct Democratic Party, and himself during the presidential poll.