Presidential office criticizes Ahn for describing his campaign as ‘Ahn-Yoon alliance’

Feb 06, 2023, 08:58 am

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Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) holds an emergency press conference on the March 8 national convention at the National Assembly on February 3, 2023./ Photographed by Lee Byung-hwa

AsiaToday reporter Chun Hyun-bin

The presidential office publicly criticized Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a key candidate in the leadership race of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), for drawing President Yoon Suk-yeol to win the race in the next national convention. It also pointed out that Ahn has a malicious intention to divide between the presidential office and presidential aides by using the expression the term “Yoon haek gwan.” Translated into English as “Yoon’s close confidants,” the term has been widely used since last year when the then embattled ruling party leader Lee Jun-seok used it to mock lawmakers loyal to Yoon.

Senior presidential secretary for political affairs Lee Jin-bok told reporters that the expression “Ahn-Yoon coalition” is inappropriate and that a president and a candidate cannot be regarded in the same light.

“Who used the term ‘Yoon haek gwan’? It’s funny, but the then Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung used it during the presidential race. It’s not right to use it among the party members,” Lee said.

“It is unfair for some candidates to make presidential aides as disloyal subjects,” Lee said. “Would the president handle state affairs without distinguishing whether his aides are treacherous or not? It is like attacking the president.”

Regarding Ahn’s remarks that presidential office is intervening in the PPP’s election of new leader, Lee refuted, saying, “Ahn dragged it first into the race.”

A high-ranking official of the presidential office also criticized Ahn during a briefing, saying, “Rep. Ahn would be aware that it is very inappropriate for a candidate to compare himself with the president who is preoccupied with handling state affairs at the same level.” The official said the term ‘Yoon haek gwan’ has been often used to divide among the party members.

It is rare for the presidential office to engage in the internal politics of the ruling party. It seems the presidential office regarded Ahn’s remarks about “Yoon-Ahn coalition” and “Yoon haek gwan” as insulting to President Yoon.

Regarding Ahn accusing fellow lawmaker Rep. Chang Je-won of ‘orchestrating Yoon haek gwan’, President Yoon said, “Anyone who wants to benefit politically by using the term Yoon haek gwan will be recognized as a disrupter of state administration and an enemy.” According to the presidential office, the president expressed discomfort, saying, “The term ‘Yoon haek gwan’ is not an expression to be used by a politician responsible of the party. Isn’t it an expression aimed at attacking and insulting the president?”

Regarding Ahn’s expression of ‘Yoon-Ahn coalition’, Yoon said, “It is extremely unconventional to bring the president, the chief state affairs officer and commander of the South Korean military, to the party’s national convention.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Ahn alleged in a social media post on Sunday that the presidential office is intervening in the ruling party’s process to elect a new chairman. “I urge the PPP’s interim committee and the National Election Commission to take necessary measures to stop speculations in media coverage that quoted an unnamed high-ranking official of the presidential office as commenting that a certain candidate has President Yoon’s back or not.”

#Ah Cheol-soo #Yoon Suk-yeol #presidential office #PPP #election