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Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a presidential contender from the ruling People Power Party, announces his policy pledges for the 21st presidential election at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building on April 13. / Photo by Lee Byung-hwa

Ahn Cheol-soo, one of four presidential contenders in the People Power Party’s (PPP) second-round primary, on April 23 publicly called on his rivals—Kim Moon-soo, Han Dong-hoon, and Hong Joon-pyo—to join him in pledging key reforms and issuing a formal apology to the public for the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Ahn wrote, “If we truly want to bring about change and win back the people’s trust in order to defeat Lee Jae-myung, we must begin by changing ourselves. Let’s make this promise openly to the Korean people.”

He continued, “The impeachment of former President Yoon is a painful chapter in the history of our conservative bloc. None of us are completely free from responsibility. Let us sincerely and honestly apologize to the people. Only by crossing the ‘river of impeachment’ can we reach the ‘path of the people’ and the road to victory.”

Ahn also proposed shortening the presidential term from five to three years and holding a constitutional referendum in conjunction with next year’s local elections. “We can no longer maintain the current five-year, one-term imperial presidency,” he said. “Whoever is elected president should reduce their term and lead the constitutional reform process.”

“It’s time to show the will for reform not just through words, but with action,” he added.

Ahn further called for sweeping reforms to the National Election Commission, which he said has lost public trust due to poor management and questionable appointments. He also argued that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), created to investigate powerful public officials, should be abolished due to political bias and ineffectiveness.

In outlining his broader vision, Ahn said the next president should prioritize administrative integration across broader regions, stressing that this is essential for addressing South Korea’s low birthrate and rapidly aging population. “Without regional balance and large-scale administrative integration, we cannot solve these existential challenges,” he warned.

He concluded, “This is no longer about simply regaining power—it’s about ushering in a new era. Before the primary, let the four of us make our promises to the public and commit to seeing them through. That is the path to saving both our future and ourselves.”