On the 19th, Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People’s Power Party, stated, “This is an important time to decide whether South Korea will further develop or sink,” and mentioned that he is preparing a ‘Plan B.’ This hints at the possibility of an early presidential election bid as the Constitutional Court’s impeachment trial schedule for President Yoon Seok-youl is nearing its end.
In an interview on SBS Radio’s ‘Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show’ on the same day, Rep. Ahn commented on the current political situation: “At present, impeachment might not happen, but it could also happen. Isn’t it the duty of a political party to be prepared for both Plan A and Plan B?”
When asked about the possibility of running in an early presidential election, he responded, “If an early presidential election were to be held, I would be the only current legislator among the presidential candidates,” emphasizing his experience of having received comprehensive briefings from all ministries and prepared a transition report while serving as the Chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee.
He added, “If an early presidential election is held, we won’t be able to form a transition committee and will have to start working immediately from the next day. Having already done that job, I am someone who can start without a transition committee,” and mentioned that he is currently refining ways to develop industries related to AI to create future sources of income.
On the other hand, Ahn remarked about Han Dong-hoon, the former People’s Power representative hinting at his return to politics, “I thought he might be trying to jump in at a slightly awkward time” and suggested, “If he plans to continue in politics, he should set a longer-term plan.”
He continued, “So far in South Korea, the public has not consecutively elected someone similar to a former president during presidential elections,” and explained, “It would be difficult to choose another president from the same prosecutor background, so it’s advisable to look at it from a longer perspective.”
Additionally, he criticized Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, for his recent right-leaning actions, saying, “These days, the symptom of changing his stance seems to be worsening,” pointing out inconsistencies in statements about working hours, national payments, and foreign relations, questioning what can truly be believed.
He concluded, “In a word, it’s two-faced, aiming simply to expand his support base with the intention to win votes, only to return to his original position after the election.”