Ahn Cheol-soo is S.Korea`s Hamlet: Heritage Foundation

Former presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo has been called "South Korea`s Hamlet" by the conservative U.S. think tank Heritage Foundation, which held a seminar Monday on "Assessing the (South) Korean and Japanese Elections" at its Washington headquarters.

Senior research fellow Bruce Klingner said Ahn is "more like Hamlet than Bill Gates," adding his emergence and withdrawal from the election were both surprises that merely aroused confusion. Hamlet is considered the epitome of self-reflection and self-absorption.

Gordon Flake, executive director of Mansfield Foundation, said Ahn was popular because he was a non-politician, but his attractiveness faded over the talks to unify the opposition camp`s candidate.

In a panel discussion, participants said ruling party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye and her main opposition rival Moon Jae-in both have a flexible policy toward North Korea, and thus have the potential to confront U.S. policy toward the communist country.

Klingner said Park and Moon have pledged a more flexible North Korea policy than U.S. President Barack Obama, warning of potential conflict between Seoul and Washington no matter who becomes president of South Korea.

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