Who would head Moon-Ahn ticket?

Ahn Cheol-soo, independent presidential candidate, tastes a cucumber during his visit to a farm in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. / Yonhap

Joint candidacy is viable option to beat Rep. Park

The camps of presidential candidates Ahn Cheol-soo and Rep. Moon Jae-in have dismissed it, but the scenario of an alliance based on sharing power could prove irresistible if the two decide they can’t beat the Saenuri Party’s Park Geun-hye individually.

The power sharing scenario was entertained in a liberal newspaper Wednesday but the independent and main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) candidates have denied it.

The catch is the power sharing formula ― who would become president and who would be prime minister.

Moon Jae-in, the Democratic United Party’s presidential candidate, shares makgeolli with farmers in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, Wednesday. / Yonhap

The idea of a joint ticket has been favored by liberals as it could be the best formula to minimize a possible split of support in the Dec. 19 presidential poll.

“It is true that we are reviewing the implementation of a new governmental organ strictly in charge of the nation’s future vision,” Ahn’s spokesman Yoo Min-young told The Korea Times, Wednesday.

Rep. Song Ho-chang, who quit the DUP to join Ahn’s campaign Tuesday, added, “Ahn cannot win the presidential election without Moon and vice versa. They should compete in a beautiful manner and form a strong alliance.”

Song allegedly has a close relationship with both Ahn and Moon. Insiders say the former DUP lawmaker will undertake the role of communicating between the two sides to get them to form an alliance ahead of the election.

“They should focus on expanding their ratings as much as possible,” added the lawmaker.

Ahn is allegedly planning a new platform on sharing power between the president and prime minister.

Though Yoo denied this, speculation is rising that the president would be in charge of diplomacy, national defense and mapping out a future vision for the nation while the prime minister would take care of domestic affairs.

Moon called for a new decentralized government system in which the prime minister would be given more power, during his acceptance speech last month on becoming the DUP candidate.

Political pundits say that by raising the idea of a joint government, Ahn and Moon aim to take office without losing liberal votes.

Ahn has a good chance of becoming president backed by a large number of lawmakers if Moon agrees to assume the post of prime minister. Ahn has been criticized by his opponents for having no parliamentary experience.

Ahn’s camp, however, remains cautious about the prospect.

Chief campaign strategist for Ahn’s camp Park Sun-sook said, “It is not within the boundaries of the law to divide power between the president and prime minister.”

“Ahn said in the book Ahn Cheol-soo’s Thoughts that he wants to fully guarantee the authority of the prime minister as long as the law allows,” Park added.

Under the constitution, the prime minister has the right to recommend candidates for ministerial positions but no authority to actually appoint them.

The speculation over a “coalition government” comes amid growing tension between the two liberal candidates to gain the upper hand in an envisioned liberal merger.

Opinion polls show Ahn and Moon will inevitably lose to Park if they choose to run separately as a vote split is expected.

Moon and Ahn each visited Daejeon Wednesday to try and woo voters there. The central city is considered a swing city relatively free from ideological division. <The Korea Times/Chung Min-uck>

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