Ahn Cheol-soo is running for chairman of PPP

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo leaves the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on Monday morning after announcing his bid for the party's chairmanship. [YONHAP]

Three-term lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo declared a bid for the chairmanship of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) on Monday, vowing to lead the party to victory in next year's parliamentary elections and emphasizing his closeness with President Yoon Suk Yeol.

“We should complete the change of government with an overwhelming victory in the general election,” Ahn said during a press conference at the National Assembly on Monday announcing his bid.

While last year’s presidential race and the majority of local government elections were won by the PPP, the liberal Democratic Party (DP) still holds a 169-seat majority in the National Assembly.

Ahn said at the press conference that he would lend support to the president if elected party chairman.

The former doctor and tech entrepreneur, who first entered politics as a presidential candidate in 2012, was also a contender in last year’s presidential race before dropping out to support Yoon — a factor that contributed to Yoon’s victory.

Ahn’s minor conservative People’s Party later merged with Yoon's PPP, and Ahn also served as the chief of Yoon's presidential transition committee.

In his declaration statement, Ahn emphasized that his political career has been closely intertwined with Yoon’s and argued “no one is more devoted to ensuring a successful running of state affairs” by Yoon’s administration than himself.

“I merged my presidential candidacy with Yoon Suk Yeol and was the chief of his transition team,” Ahn said, likening their bond to a “common destiny.”

Ahn’s election campaign committee will be headed by Kim Young-woo, a former legislator for the PPP who served three parliamentary terms.

Ahn faces other strong contenders for the PPP chairmanship, which has been officially vacant since the ouster of former chairman Lee Jun-seok in August over allegations of bribery and sexual favors.

Four-term lawmakers Kim Gi-hyeon and Yoon Sang-hyun have declared bids.

Kim served as the PPP’s acting chairman from April to June 2021.

Five-term Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae is also expected to run, while former PPP lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Yoo Seong-min are considered potential candidates.

Voting in the party leadership race will be open only to party members and will not factor in public opinion polls — a move that has stirred controversy within the PPP, especially among those who are not in the party faction close to Yoon.

Ahn previously expressed opposition to the change, which was decided by the party’s emergency steering committee in late December.

“To put it bluntly, the election of a party chief should not be an election to pick an alleyway boss or the head of a social gathering,” Ahn Cheol-soo told KBS Radio on Dec. 19.

But Kim Gi-hyeon expressed support for the rule change in a Facebook post the following day, where he wrote, “The owners of the party are the party members. It's surprising there are people who insist on arguing over common sense."

The PPP’s national convention, where party members will vote for its new leader, is scheduled for March 8.

Chung said previously that if no candidate wins an outright majority at the convention, the party will hold a run-off and the winner will be announced by March 12.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]