Ahn Cheol-soo’s presidential camp is built around professors and lawyers who have long shared his vision for more accountable politics, a more creative economy and a fairer society.

Lacking political experience, Ahn’s organizational base is weaker than those of his two rivals, Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in, who have the backing of Korea’s largest political parties.

The former Seoul National University professor has sought to compensate for this weakness by using far-reaching networks in various academic fields.

One of the most prominent recruitments is Yoon Young-kwan, who is a professor of diplomacy at Seoul National University and was foreign minister under former President Roh Moo-hyun.

His top policy adviser is Jang Ha-sung, professor of business administration at Korea University, who pioneered the nation’s minor shareholders’ movement.

Jun Sung-in, economics professor at Hongik University, is a key member of Ahn’s economic democratization forum and Kim Ho-ki, sociology professor at Yonsei University, is a leading figure of the political reform forum.

Two renowned political scientists, Sim Ji-yeon and Kim Min-jeon, and former Saenuri Party lawmaker Kim Song-sik were named Wednesday to represent Ahn’s campaign in a joint task force with Moon’s camp to draft a joint statement on political reform.

Sim, who is based at Kyungnam University and is an expert on party politics and parliamentary affairs, is a member of Ahn’s state affairs advisory council and former chief of the National Assembly Research Service.

Kim is a professor at Kyung Hee University.

“They were selected for their expertise, as well as their determination for change and reform,” said Rep. Song Ho-chang, one of the co-chairs of the election headquarters.

Ahn’s camp has a number of progressive lawyers who have been active in the civic movement including election headquarters co-chair Song, spokesperson Chung Young-soon, chief secretary Cho Kwang-hee and situation room director Keum Tae-sup.

Many of them are members of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society, a progressive attorneys’ association. Most of the camp’s legal experts worked for Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon during his election campaign last year.

“Many among those who worked for Park last year received the offer to join Ahn’s camp, after he announced his presidential bid in September,” said an official of the camp.

“The two camps indeed share much in common in terms of political vision and connections.”

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)