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지나쌤

Minor presidential candidate Ahn shrugs off possible alliance with ruling party's Lee

By Yonhap

Published : Dec. 27, 2021 - 10:52

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This photo taken last Thursday, shows Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, speaking at a press conference in Busan. (Yonhap) This photo taken last Thursday, shows Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, speaking at a press conference in Busan. (Yonhap)
Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, on Monday shrugged off a possible alliance with the ruling Democratic Party (DP) presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung, saying he is not interested in anyone's offer.

Ahn dismissed the DP Chairman Song Young-gil's view that he can "integrate" with Lee. Song earlier said in a Yonhap News Agency interview that Ahn is essential for national development and he is the most meaningful candidate from the opposition bloc.

"Song's remark shows they acknowledge the DP candidate's limit and people know it is a politically-motivated, election shakeup move to cover that," Ahn wrote on his Facebook page. "I will go my way for the country's future and better government change."

Ahn then asked Song whether his remarks represent the official position of Lee and the DP. He also wanted answers from the DP chairman whether he agrees to punish the current Moon Jae-in government and seek better regime change, as well as legislation of special counsel probe for scandals surrounding Lee and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party.

Ahn, a former doctor and software entrepreneur, is in his third presidential run. In 2012, he withdrew from the presidential race less than a month before the election, giving his support to Moon Jae-in, then candidate of the main opposition party.

The 59-year-old ran again in the 2017 election and finished third with 21.41 percent of votes.

In a latest poll conducted by Realmeter, Ahn was running third with 5.6 percent support behind two major candidates, Yoon and Lee. (Yonhap)