By Park Si-soo
All eyes in the political world are on Prof. Ahn Cheol-soo of Seoul National University after it was reported that he has “decided” to run in the election next month for Seoul mayor.
Commenting on the reports, Ahn said he has yet to decide on whether to run in the election after delivering a special lecture at a ward office in Seoul, Friday afternoon. But he strongly indicated that he could join the race.
“Unlike lawmakers, a mayor can change a lot,” he told reporters. “I’ve ignored many opportunities to enter politics in the belief that one person can change little. But I’ve realized the mayor can change many things.”
Ahn said he is negative about joining a political party, saying, “There are many problems with existing parties.”
Ahn, 49, has built a loyal fan base after appearing on TV programs and publishing books which highlighted his tenacious efforts for self-development and his insight into thorny issues.
Given robust public confidence in him, his joining in the upcoming race will surely pose a grave threat to both ruling and opposition parties. He is expected to run as an independent candidate.
Ahn has not formally declared his bid, but aides have already said he has made up his mind to do so and will declare his intention soon.
“The probability of his joining in the mayoral race is 90 percent. And he will run independently,” said Yoon Yeo-joon, a former environment minister and close aide to Ahn.
Another aide Park Kyung-chul, a medical doctor who has hosted a TV talk show with Ahn, has not gone as far to say that Ahn is determined. But he didn’t rule out the possibility that Ahn will join the race. “It’s true he is thinking about it. But I’ve not been told about his decision yet,” Park said.
Ahn is a medical doctor-turned-computer expert who founded the country’s first antivirus software company, AhnLab. After earning a master’s degree in business management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, he taught at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
He was recently appointed president of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology.
Both ruling and opposition parties are cautiously selecting candidates for the mayoral election. Experts say the result of the upcoming election will be an indicator of public sentiment ahead of the general elections in April and presidential election in December next year.
Both ruling and opposition parties plan to start the process of selecting a candidate later this month.
Many surveys commonly show that former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) is most likely to win the election, while Rep. Na Kyung-won of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) might be the strongest challenger.