Ahn Cheol-soo, a candidate from the People Power Party for the presidential primary, proposed on the 23rd that Kim Moon-soo, Han Dong-hoon, and Hong Joon-pyo, who also advanced to the 'second primary,' should 'sincerely apologize' to the public, saying, 'Only by overcoming the "river of impeachment" can the "people's path" and the "path to victory" be opened.'
Ahn noted through Facebook that 'the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol is a painful history for the entire conservative faction. However, a responsible politician must not ignore past mistakes and must face them directly.'
He emphasized that a national referendum for constitutional amendment should also be conducted.
He said, 'We cannot continue the overly powerful presidential system with a five-year term,' and suggested, 'If any of us is elected president, we should shorten the term to three years and conduct a national referendum on constitutional amendments simultaneously with next year's local elections.'
He also argued for the need to reform the National Election Commission.
Ahn stated, 'The National Election Commission, which has lost public trust due to mismanagement and personnel issues, requires significant reform,' and added, 'Additionally, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which has failed to perform its role due to political bias and incompetence, must inevitably be abolished.'
He emphasized local development as well.
Ahn said, 'The issues of low birth rates and aging, which threaten the sustainability of South Korea, cannot be resolved without balanced development between regions and administrative integration at the metropolitan level,' and urged, 'The person elected as president should prioritize 'metropolitan administrative integration' as a key national agenda. Let's achieve balanced regional development and address the fundamental issues of low birth rates and aging.'
He said, 'We must move toward a change of era, not just a simple reproduction of power. Before the primary, let us promise in front of the public, and let us execute responsibly until the end,' and added, 'That is "the way we can survive, the way to save us."'