Ahn Cheol-soo assumes co-chairmanship of new party

By Jun Ji-hye

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, left, co-chairman of the central steering committee to launch a new political party, raises his hands with other co-chairmen at a ceremony at the Kim Koo Museum and Library, Seoul, Monday. The lawmaker said he will officially launch the New Political Vision Party in March. / Yonhap

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo was named Monday as chairman of a policy setting central steering committee for his “New Political Vision Party.”

The decision was made at a ceremony at the Kim Koo Museum and Library, at which 374 supporters of Ahn’s party gathered ahead of its official launch in March.

Along with Ahn, six other political figures ― including former Environment Minister Yoon Yeo-joon, who has co-chaired an early form of the preparatory committee ― were named co-chairmen of the steering committee.

Ahn’s aides also registered the new party with the National Election Commission, designating him as the legal representative.

“The public’s desire for alternatives to the old politics is firing up,” said the party in a statement. “We will spare no effort to set up a real democracy based on justice and the public’s concerns at the earliest possible date.”

In explaining the aims of the party, it said, “We will seek prosperity for all people, expanding their opportunities and keeping our promises to the end.”

Indicating what the cornerstone of its economic policies will be, the New Political Vision Party said it will push for a “democratic market economy.”

“We already experienced the failure of market dogmatism that brought about a global economic crisis. The nation should impose democratic regulations in the market and coordinate the market system so that growth can come with employment,” said the party.

As for its welfare vision, the statement said the party aims for a “just welfare state,” saying that welfare services should not be the subject of ideological conflicts.

“We will realize maintainable welfare systems by converging universal benefits and selective welfare,” it said.

With regard to inter-Korean relations, it stressed that it will achieve peace through denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

“Achieving peaceful unification is one of the most important missions that the current generation should shoulder,” it said. “The New Political Vision Party is opposed to the moves of old parties to use inter-Korean issues to cause disputes in the South. We will seek an empathetic approach instead.”

The party added that the bipartisan unification policy will also help promote national interests internationally.