Presidential candidates are bracing for the final stretch of their campaigns by securing support of the wider political spectrum for the race that has become a competition for a single-digit number of swing voters.

The ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Park Geun-hye was given a major boost upon the announcement Thursday of the support of former Democratic Party chairman Hahn Hwa-kap, a powerful politician in the Jeolla region that has been the stronghold for the progressive camp and a former right-hand-man to late President Kim Dae-jung.

Hahn declared his support for Park at a special speech session held at the National Assembly Memorial Hall, vowing to “become the foundation for the development of Jeolla.” The Jeolla provinces have grown hostile toward progressive presidents, blaming them for neglecting their political origin upon assuming the presidency.

Hahn joins Han Gwang-ok, another key progressive politician and former chief of staff to Kim, whose participation in Park’s campaign in October jolted both parties.

In an interview with MBN, Hahn said, “Whenever I have returned to our hometown, I have heard a lot of the locals there saying, ‘What have they done for us when we made them president?’” referring to presidents Kim and Roh Moo-hyun.

“So I turned to Park and suggested that we look into the plans to develop Jeolla,” he said, adding that Park accepted them all.

Hahn, however, will not be officially joining the Saenuri Party, shunning criticism that he was turning coat Hahn’s choice was harshly denounced by his fellow liberal heavyweights, including DUP advisor Kwon Roh-kap, who said the decision would have been against the wishes of Kim.

Hahn retorted that the Donggyo-dong faction ― the group of Kim supporters within the proto-political organization established in 1984 in collaboration with former President Kim Young-sam ― was long disintegrated and that he believed the DUP was no longer a traditional party.

Park has also been collecting support from all sides of the conservative arena, including former Liberty Forward Party chairman Lee Hoi-chang, former United Liberal Democrats chairman Kim Jong-pil, Rhee In-je of the Advancement and Unification Party, formerly anti-Park Saenuri Party member Lee Jae-oh, and Park Se-il, former lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party and president of non-profit think tank Hansun Foundation.

Meanwhile, Democratic Unite Party candidate Moon Jae-in launched a pan-progressive body, “People’s Alliance for the Change of Administration and New Politics,” gathering politicians of the DUP and the Progressive Justice Party along with key liberal scholars and civic activists at the Kim Koo Museum.

The event had been considered half-baked with the absence of former independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, who had been at the vanguard of the new politics drive and considered key to Moon gaining the support of moderates.

Later in the day, Ahn promised to fully assist Moon’s struggling campaign during a 30-minute meeting.

Even without his participation, Ahn remained the focal figure at the event.

“We understand the weight of the concern faced by Ahn in doing anything. But at the same time, we also hope that he will make a resolution by facing the fact that there is not enough time,” Cho Kuk said.

At the event, Moon also sought continued support, saying, “I will put my efforts into gathering the strengths and support of Ahn and those that had supported Ahn. The pain that was caused by the differences in positions during the process of unified candidacy was due to my shortfalls. Please feel free to condemn me.”

Moon also indicated he was open to considering a co-government or co-transition team.

“If I become president, I will form a dream team with a mind that we will create a bipartisan nonparty Cabinet for a successful administration.”

By Lee Joo-hee  (jhl@heraldcorp.com)