Moon may need Ahn’s help in winning the presidency

Posted on : 2012-11-27 13:46 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
After being named single opposition candidate, Moon has been seen falling being Park Geun-hye
 while Moon’s slogan is “People first”. The election will be held on Dec. 19.
while Moon’s slogan is “People first”. The election will be held on Dec. 19.

By Lee Tae-hee, staff reporter

The camp of Democratic United Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in had a busy day on Monday, Nov. 26. All their attention has been focused on the exact method and framework for achieving solidarity with Ahn Cheol-soo, who bowed out of the race to make Moon the single opposition candidate. It is desperation that spurs their rush to complete their “unfinished unification.” After Moon was decided on as the single opposition candidate, survey results from most media outlets have shown him slipping behind Park Geun-hye, the Saenuri Party (NFP) candidate.

A bright idea has yet to emerge as the framework and method for the proposed solidarity depend on Ahn.

The framework as it stands currently is “people’s solidarity.” Moon and Ahn promised to cooperate to bring about a shift in political power through people’s solidarity when they agreed to determine a single opposition candidate before candidate registration on Nov. 25-26.

In a Nov. 25 press conference, Moon vowed to realize people’s solidarity and change the future of South Korea along with those who supported Ahn and all those who wished for a single candidate. “We will set up an integrated election camp true to the name, encompassing pro-democracy groups and future-oriented groups. We will even include reasonable conservative groups,” said Moon. The pro-democracy groups referred to by Moon are apparently the Democratic United Party (DUP), while the future power reference points to Ahn and his supporters.

A senior member of Moon’s camp said, “I don’t think it is a good idea to incorporate those from the Ahn camp into the Moon camp at this point. Ahn’s help is desperately needed now and Ahn needs his own political space,” and went on to say that ways of providing Ahn with an independent space in politics must be actively pursued.

Some have argued that Ahn can secure his own area, coexisting with the Moon camp, through the framework of people’s solidarity. “People’s solidarity can have a structure in which three or four groups cooperate to win an election, embracing the DUP, Ahn supporters, progressives, civic societies, labor powers, and reasonable conservatives,” a member of Moon’s camp said. “If the DUP is positioned as a actor in people’s solidarity, Ahn supporters also can set up an independent realm.”

Opinion is divided on how to move forward in the Moon camp. Some are arguing for aggressively seeking Ahn’s help as the results of election could depend on him, while some argue Moon has to lead the campaign from center stage.

To be sure, the Moon camp may hope that Ahn comes out and joins hands with them to change the dynamics of the election at an early stage while Moon is falling behind Park in a number of opinion polls. If Ahn emerges again and helps to shift the dynamics in favor of Moon, it will then be Moon and the DUP’s responsibility to maintain the trend.

Lim Chae-jeong, former National Assembly speaker said, “I think this is exactly the time for Moon and Ahn to pursue the bigger principles and toss away petty interests and emotions. They have to reflect on the fact that they promised the people a change in administrations.”

He advised, “In that the new politics that they are trying to achieve must no be merely an idea but a reality, they have to band together and embark on the process of making history through a shift in political power.”

 

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