Ahn Chul-soo aims to be `son of Honam`

The main opposition Democratic Party has begun to check independent lawmaker Ahn Chul-soo. During a forum hosted by the Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club, Kim Han-gil, the party’s chairman, said that his party “will not repeat the attitude it took toward the Nowon-B electoral district in Seoul (in the April 24 by-elections when the party did not field any candidate to help Ahn get elected).” Kim made the remark with an eye to October by-elections as a warning to Ahn, who is seeking to establish his own political group. Kim also said sarcastically that if Ahn pushes ahead with forming his own political group, he would receive a commendation from the ruling Saenuri Party.

The change began to surface following a ceremony commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the May 18, 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju. During his visit to Gwangju on May 18, Ahn virtually declared war against the Democratic Party. He criticized the political establishment for being “trapped by inertia and vested interest” and “intent on enjoying the fruits of the Gwangju spirit rather than inheriting and blossoming it into a new flower.” It was so obvious that he was targeting the Democratic Party. He went on to say that one of his biggest tasks was to “liquidate the political system of vested interest created after the democratization in 1987 and maintained by hostile symbiosis.” The remarks were taken as referring to the Democratic Party as the subject of liquidation. Four days later, Ahn officially announced the establishment of his political network called “Tomorrow,” an outpost for founding his own political party. The Democratic Party found Ahn no longer comfortable.

The Democratic Party has so far considered Ahn a “competitive partner.” It still retains the feeling. But Ahn outright rejects such a definition of their relationship, as the two have different goals.

Ahn’s goal is to become the president in the 2017 election. Until then, all political processes are nothing but the stepping stones for his accomplishment of the goal. If he needs to join hands with the Democratic Party, he can make a decision when necessary. If he is to use the party as his helper, he needs to solidify his own stepping stones as much as possible. However, the Democratic Party is in a different situation as the party supersedes any individual and wants its candidate to be elected president. For the opposition party, other elections such as local government elections, parliamentary elections and by-elections are also of importance. It has to perform well in those elections to continue its existence.

Now, a face-off between the Democratic Party and Ahn is unavoidable. The Honam region – North and South Jeolla Provinces – will become their frontline in any election because their political future depends on winning the support from the region, the stronghold of the opposition circles. Ahn is trying to win the hearts of Jeolla people because he is well aware of it. For Ahn, Honam is relatively easier than other regions. Ahn has to compete with both the Democratic Party and the ruling Saenuri Party, but in Honam, he has only the Democratic Party to compete against.

The public sentiment in Honam is not unfavorable to Ahn. It is a well known fact that the region no longer overwhelmingly supports the Democratic Party. Opinion polls show the change even more clearly. They indicate that if Ahn founds a new party, it will likely enjoy much higher support in Honam, let alone in other regions, than the Democratic Party. The party is trying to downplay the poll results, saying things will change if it reforms itself. However, it is nothing but the party’s wishful thinking. In last year’s general elections, Kang Dong-won, a candidate of the minority Progressive Justice Party, had an unexpected victory over Lee Kang-rae, a third-term incumbent lawmaker and former floor leader of the Democratic Party, in the Namwon-Sunchang district in North Jeolla Province. The result suggests that voters in Honam do not unilaterally support the Democratic Party any longer. But such an unusual change didn’t happen just once.

As Ahn’s wife is from the Jeolla region, he has at least obtained the politically symbolic status of a “son-in-law of Honam.” However, it is not good enough for Ahn to become a leading figure in the opposition circles. He needs to take the status of “Honam’s son.” Democratic Party adviser Kwon Roh-kap said, “To people of Honam, the Democratic Party is like their child whether they like it or not.” Now, the party and Ahn will begin a race for the status.