Ex-presidential candidate Ahn unveils plan for new party

Former presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo announces his plan for a new party at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

Former presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo announced a plan for an envisioned new party, Sunday, but will the fourth time be a charm for this party leader?

This comes after Ahn rode a roller coaster of failure and success as a co-leader or co-founder of three parties in the local, general, and presidential elections from 2013 to 2018.

The three were — the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s (DPK) predecessor the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), the centrist People’s Party, which later merged with center-right Bareun Party and changed their name to Bareunmirae Party.

Ahn retreated from politics following his defeat in the Seoul mayoral race in June 2018 and stayed abroad before making a political comeback in January.

This time, Ahn vowed to create a party aimed at shoring up a pragmatic and middle-of-the-road brand of politics in the lead-up to the April 15 National Assembly election.

The name of the party and when it will be launched will be announced after a preparatory committee is formed, possibly Monday, according to Ahn.

“The party I will launch will not be the same kind as the existing parties,” he said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Sunday. “The new party will be based on a sense of urgency that the Republic of Korea can’t go on like this. And with this party, I will seek to rescue today’s irresponsible and destructive politics by overcoming ideological and political divisions.”

The new party will be characterized by being less dependent on the National Assembly’s financial support, more engaging with private think tanks and policymakers, sharing thoughts with the public using mobile platforms and financial transparency.

To do so, Ahn vowed to overhaul the National Assembly Law and cut the number of lawmakers and subsidies provided by the Assembly by half, when the next parliamentary session opens.

He said interacting with private think tanks and policymakers is critical to expand networks outside the party, while using mobile platforms can help the public understand the party’s decision-making process.

Regarding financial transparency, Ahn says this will help the party be innovative.

Asked whether he was considering running in the April 15 general election, he said “No.”

Ahn maintained his Bareunmirae Party membership even during his stay abroad, but left the party Jan. 19 after a dispute with incumbent Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu over reform measures.

He said forming a new party was “a must,” adding “It was impossible to pursue a new way under a conventional and outdated party.”

Ahn, a former doctor and software mogul, became popular with his “new politics.”

He entered the political arena in 2012 as an independent candidate.

In 2013, he co-founded the NPAD, which suffered a crushing defeat a year later in the local elections. He defected from the NPAD in 2016.

In 2016, he made a successful comeback as a political leader when his nascent People’s Party secured 38 of the 300 parliamentary seats to become the third largest party in Korea.

He made his second presidential bid in 2017 but failed. He ran for Seoul mayor in 2018 and also lost.