DUP seeks 3-way race with Ahn, UPP

Rep. Lee Hae-chan of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) is optimistic that Ahn Cheol-soo will become a contender for the opposition camp during the process of choosing a candidate for the December presidential election.

Speaking at a news conference with foreign correspondents based in Seoul, the DUP chairman predicted that a three-way race among Ahn and the winner of the DUP primary and the Unified Progressive Party (UPP) contest could take place sometime in October.

“If a final winner is chosen among the three, I guess a DUP candidate will have more chance of becoming the standard bearer of the opposition camp, (in consideration of what’s going on now),” he said.

The DUP preliminary race to select five out of eight candidates began Monday. The five will compete in the main primary to select a presidential candidate slated for August.

As the DUP has forged a partnership with the UPP for the presidential election, the two parties are expected to hold a further ballot to select a presidential candidate to represent the opposition camp after the DUP primary.

Lee said he felt that Ahn has indicated a strong likelihood of joining the presidential race in a recently released book written about him, “Thoughts of Ahn Cheol-soo.”

“His vision is similar to that of the DUP and he has revealed unmistakable opposition to the ruling Saenuri Party’s win in the presidential election,” Lee said. “Considering this, I believe he and the DUP will have no major problems when working together to select a unified candidate within the opposition camp.”

The DUP leader made the remarks hours before Ahn was to appear on a popular late night TV show.

Campaign watchers linked the computer expert’s series of moves — the release of a book detailing his views on major campaign issues and a rare TV show appearance from him — to his presidential ambitions.

Amid mushrooming speculation, Ahn’s aide said something that could shed light on his motives.

Ahn has no fear of being hurt, which will follow if he declares that he is joining the presidential race because his rivals would attempt to discredit him, according to professor Jae Jeong-im of Semyung University Graduate School of Journalism.

“Mr. Ahn further said even though he faces defamatory comments and is attacked over baseless allegations, he would be willing to weather these ordeals if he is convinced to believe that it (running in the presidential race) is the right thing to do,” Jae quoted him as saying Monday.

Jae is the author of the newly-released book, dubbed “Thoughts of Ahn Cheol-soo,” based on conversations she had with the information technology mogul.

She said Ahn has yet to make a decision regarding whether he will run in the presidential race or not though, adding he is still thinking hard about it. <The Korea Times/Kang Hyun-kyung>

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