On the morning of the 2nd, Ahn Cheol-soo, CEO of the National Assembly Party, attended a field meeting with cultural artists held at a small theater in Daehak-ro, Seoul. On the 1st, Ahn made a phone call with former lawmaker Tae-seop Geum regarding the discussion on’unification of the three zones’. Reporter Oh Jong-taek
“It’s been a while since I heard your voice.”
According to opposition officials, Ahn Cheol-soo, the representative of the National Assembly Party, said hello in a call with former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop on the 1st. After that, when Congressman Geum Jeon conveyed his intention to meet for unification discussion, Ahn responded, saying, “Let’s make a schedule.”
Representative Ahn and Rep. Geum took a boat in the 2012 presidential election as the candidate and the camp chief. However, ahead of the re-election in 2014, it split due to nomination issues. When the two people narrowed the distance with the Seoul Mayor’s by-election as an opportunity, political circles commented that “the unification of the third zone has taken a rush.”
On the 31st of last month, Rep. Geum suggested to Representative Ahn that “Let’s do the 3rd zone contest” in the declaration of a run. It is a so-called’stepped opposition unity’ initiative, in which the candidates of the Third Zone will hold a single contest with the candidates for the power of the people in the end, apart from the People’s Strength contest, which is decided on March 4th. The meeting between the two is scheduled for the 4th.
In addition, former lawmaker Tae-seop Geum, who left the Democratic Party, declared a run for the Seoul Mayor by-election at a cafe at Hongik University entrance in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 31st of last month. Former lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo of the Nationalist Party proposed a unification of the three zones. Reporter Oh Jong-taek
The two sides are more active in the unification of the third zone because they believe that the benefit is greater than the loss. Representative Ahn, who was rejected after proposing to participate in the People’s Power Contest without a party, was in desperate need of a political event that would attract public attention. An official from the National Assembly said, “Unification with former lawmakers will have the effect of encroaching on the votes of some progressives beyond the combination of the middle and conservatives.”
In particular, it was judged that it would be more advantageous for Ahn to have a confrontation between the two people after unifying the two in advance, rather than the’three-party unification’ in which the final candidate of the People’s Power, Ahn, and Geum Jeon faced the last minute. However, some people in the National Assembly say, “Is it necessary to create a one-on-one composition with a monetary lawmaker with a difference in weight?”
Assemblyman Geum Jeon also sees it as an opportunity to raise attention. Rep. Geum, who received attention after leaving the Democratic Party in October last year, seldom stood out in various public opinion polls. In a phone call with JoongAng Ilbo that day, Congressman Geum Jeon said, “If we discuss various issues in Seoul with Representative Ahn once a week, we can appeal to the voters.”
Regarding this movement of external unity, the people’s power responded that “the unification of opposition rights is being simple and clear” (Jin-seok Jeong, Chairman of Nomination Management Committee).
Former lawmaker Na Gyeong-won, who was running for the power of the people for the Mayor of Seoul, visits the fire prevention vehicle office in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 2nd, and is working on the prevention of Corona 19 inside the subway. Reporter Oh Jong-taek
Power of the People Se-Hoon Oh, former Mayor of Seoul, is having a meeting with performance and theater officials at the Korean headquarters in Asiteji, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 2nd. Reporter Oh Jong-taek
On the other hand, the influential players in the opposition party started to attack the transportation and cultural fields on this day. The power of the people, former lawmaker Gyeong-won Na visited the fire prevention vehicle base in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, and carried on disinfecting equipment to quarantine the subway.
Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and CEO Ahn had a meeting with cultural and artistic workers who were hit directly by the Corona 19 incident. Mayor Oh said, “We will create a system for viewing performances by creating a large online platform,” and Ahn criticized “a very wrong government policy to exclude the performing arts sector from the disaster subsidies.”
Meanwhile, the People’s Strength Nomination Management Committee announced on the day that “the result of verifying all reports on the candidates for the by-election of our Party confirmed that it was a suspicion without any grounds.” The power of the people compresses the candidates for the mayor of Seoul to four on the 5th and holds a candidate debate on the 16th.
Reporter Son Kook-hee [email protected]